THE HUNTLY COAL MINES.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 220, 18 September 1888, Page 5

THE HUNTLY COAL MINES.

Reports having, been in circulation tha^ (work in the coal mines at Huntly had been (stopped owing to the inability of the Rail? Way Department, to meet the demands for the conveyance of coal from the mines, we made inquiries this morning, when we found thabybhe reports had no foundation whatever. ■" ' %

Mr Scherff the manager of the Taupiri Extended Coal Company, declared that his mine was going on as ÜBual,and he had this morning received the returns for yesterday's coal sent away. Work at the mine was stopped for one day; last week owing to a difficulty about demurrage, bub that had been settled some time and everything was how going on as usual.

Mr Hudson, the District Railway Manager, states that so far from the department being unequal to the demands on it, he could easily carry three-times the quantity of coal now coming along. Thefact was toe coal companies could not pub out sufficient. coal to run the railway to a standstill. He showed by, returns from ■'.. the Traffic Inspector that yesterday 21 empties had been ordered by the two companies at Huntly, 21 had been supplied, but only 19 had been filled, and there were at present 50 waiting at Huntly to be filled. In conclusion he mentioned that no more had been ordered, there evidently being quite sufficient at the station to take all the coal supplied.

Our Hamilton correspondent writes: On Friday, or rather Saturday, as I was away from home I received the following telegram from Huntly:—-" To ——. Miners threaten to tar and feather you for writing to papers interferringwithcoal traffic. Mine stopped in, consequence to-day." Has the mine been stopped in consequence'of '. anything I; wrote ? It so I must say, that I must be of more importance than 1 thought.,;.;. As, you are aware all I have ever said, on the matter was about the: 22nd;of August last, when I wrote saying that the mine hands were idle for want of tracks, whilst at the same moment no less than 330 tons of coal, were lying oh various sidings awaiting engine power: to take it away. '„_ Of this 150 tons I .stated had been lying shunted on to the Mercer siding from Tuesday morning, the 21st August, up to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays the 22ndjwhen 1 counted it up). These 'facts Mr Hudson, did hob deny, but I observe that he "explained the reason" for the state of things. Now, how the miners can think that the article in question could, in any way affect their, case, I cann'ob imagine. The miners .are evidently barking up; the wrong tree, and if they want a subject for ta_- and feathers, I hopethey will look for a more fitting one than your travellings correspondent.