COAL MINES IDLE

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26353, 22 February 1951, Page 6

COAL MINES IDLE

SHORTAGE OF WAGGONS ON WEST COAST From Out Own Reporter GREYMOUTH, Feb. 21. Several mines on the West Coast have ceased production because of a shortage of railway waggons. Others are expected to cease work to-morrow ff the position does not improve. Full waggons are at present held up on the Greymouth waterfront waiting to discharge coal. The present situation is believed to be one of the worst of its kind to have developed in the mining industry since before the war. The Blackball and Dobson mines in the Greymouth district will have to cease production to-morrow. The Wallsend mine will most likely be worked. The Liverpool mine, which was idle to-day, will resume work tomorrow, and the Strongman mine will continue to deposit the coal in an open-air dump. It is expected that the Ksltawa. wh ! ch is still discharging cargo, will begin loading coal to-morrow morning, and this will empty trucks which can go back to the mines for refilling. This may improve the situation temporarily. Rough seas developed at Greymouth to-dav to put an end to any hope of dispatching the three bar-bound colliers on the near soring tides, which will reach their p<«k to-morrow. With further shoaling likely now there is a suggestion of taking out quantities cf coal cargoes on barhnund vessels. In anv event there Will be loading restrictions on coal cargo to be taken by the fourth vessel, the Kaitawa. Position at Westport The shortage of railwa-- waggons and shipping ; t Westport since early last week h«s caused the open-cast section of the Stockton State coalmine to become idle since last Friday, and if the position Is net relieved to-morrow by the arrival of rai’wav waggons there is a possibility of the underground section of the mine cessing rroduct'on. The bins at Stockton and at Ngakawau are full and some coal has been dumned into heaps awaiting transport. The Denniston State mine has been idle this week for the same reason, and the Charming Creek and Cascade Creek mines are also affected and are not working.