OUTPUT OF COAL

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 126, 30 May 1944, Page 6

OUTPUT OF COAL

RECORD EXPECTED

MINISTER ANSWERS OWNERS

(0.C.) WELLINGTON, Monday. "The coal mine owners claim there has been no juggling of figures on their part, yet I consider their statement that there is a possibility of a reduction of 300,000 tons in coal production this year simply fantastic and absurd. As a matter of fact indications are that there is more likely to be an increase of that tonage, rather than a reduction," said the Minister of Mines, Mr. Webb, in referring to two statements made by the Coal Mine Owners' Association. "It is obvious that the five collieries referred to by the Coalmine Owners' Association are not State collieries, where the output, allowing for tonnage lost during the go-slow period at the Liverpool and Strongman mines and notwithstanding substantial development work being carried out in all State collieries, has up to now shown an increase of 2 per cent on last year. Itis true the output from the Westport Coal Company and Stockton Collieries for the first four months of this year decreased by 21,249 tons. "The inference to be drawn from the mine owners' statement is that this drop in output was caused almost wholly by absenteeism and other causes attributable to the miners. Actually the principal cause was the working conditions of these collieries not lending themselves to maintenance of the same output as previously." Absenteeism Among Workers Discussing absenteeism, Mr. Webb said that official figures released in England for 1943 revealed that voluntary absenteeism at the coal face amounted to 6.1 per cent and involuntary absenteeism among the same workers was 9 per cent. New Zealand figures for the past 48 weeks (the only records available) in respect of the 25 principal collieries were 4.9 per cent and 9.3 per cent voluntary and involuntary absenteeism respectively for employees at the coal face. "Although I make no attempt to justify absenteeism of a voluntary nature, is is clear from the above figures that the general position here is better than in England," continued the Minister. "It should also be remembered that every country in the world 'to-day is faced with a coal problem and few, if any, of them have been able to maintain production during the war period, whereas in New Zealand production has increased each year and there is not the slightest doubt that the output for this year will set a new record. "I have every reason to believe," Mr. Webb concluded, "that the continuous annual increase in production the mines of this country have been responsible for will be exceeded this year. From open cast mining alone within the next six weeks or two months my Department feels justified in stating that over 2000 tons of coal will be produced daily."