COAL ON WEST COAST

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26399, 18 April 1951, Page 6

COAL ON WEST COAST

SUPPLIES NEARLY EXHAUSTED COLLIER KONUI TO LOAD 2000 TONS (From Our Own Reporter) GREYMOUTH, April 17. Coal supplies stored in State Ynine bins in the Grey district are almost exhausted. The collier Konui is expected to arrive at Greymouth tomorrow or on Thursday, to load 2000 tons of coal for the North Island. Almost all supplies immediately available will go into the Konui. . , The Rata was scheduled to load coal at Greymouth this week, but the Konui has now been substituted for her. The Konui carries twice as much coal as the Rata. Mr R. H. Mitchell, secretary of the Grey miners’ relief committee, said to-day that the canvass of Greymouth for donations to assist the wives and families of the striking miners would be resumed to-morrow. A meeting of miners' wives was called this afternoon. , , . Owners of co-operative coalmines in the Grey district will hold a further meeting to-morrow to consider their future policy. . Inangahua Production Increased attention will now be given to the production of gas coal in the Reefton area, where 1800 tons was produced last week by private contractors at Garvey’s Creek, and where all but one of the co-operative parties have resumed work. To-day, the Government issued an advertisement calling for tenders for working the north-west open-cast section of Garvey’s Creek mine by cooperative contract. This section is ready for immediate production, and it is expected that a maximum of 100 tons of good gas coal could be won each day. The overburden has already been stripped from a large area. The successful tenderers will be able to produce coal at once, with equipment ready for them on the site. The new area is on the opposite side of the creek to that now being worked by private contractors, who won 1800 tons of coal last week. Operations have been interrupted by a fall of stone brought down by heavy rain at the week-end, but the contractors expect to have the fall cleared away by tonight, and to resume production tomorrow. . , Regular coal consignments are already being sent from Reefton. The only co-operative mine in the Reefton area which did not resume this Week is one which employs some men on wages. Members of the Inangahua Miners Union, at a meeting yesterday, reappointed their former officers who had resigned soon after the strike began. The miners decided that the strike be continued. The Inangahua union voted by secret ballot several weeks ago to resume work, but in the coal section of the union, the decision was not made effective. The gold section of the union at the Blackwater quartz mine, Waiuta, resumed normal work.