N.Z. COAL FOR JAPAN

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28793, 14 January 1959, Page 10

N.Z. COAL FOR JAPAN

Experts Arrive For Talks

(New Zealana Press Association) AUCKLAND, January 13. Two Japanese engineers, who will assess the prospects for importing coal from Paparoa, on the West Coast, arrived in Auckland by Tasman Empire Airways today. They are Mr Masao Iwama, a mining and geology specialist, and Mr Toshio Nakayama, a civil engineer, who will investigate port facilities. The two men expect to be in New Zealand for about three weeks, making investigations and having talks with Government officials, and the Minister of Mines (Mr Hackett). Mr Nakayama said that the present 3000-ton trial shipments of coal being taken from Greymouth were not an economic proposition. Two such shipments have already been loaded by Japanese ships, and a third and final shipment is due to be taken from Greymouth later this month. “We must be able to use bigger ships,’’ said Mr Nakayama, “but just how big they need to be depends on many factors, including the availability of cargoes from Japan to New Zealand.” It might be possible to improve Greymouth harbour or to use an alternative port. This was one of the things he wanted to discuss with the New Zealand Government. Mr Iwama said his main task would be to see whether the Paparoa coal was suitable both in quality and quantity for the requirements of Japanese steel mills. Long-term supplies were essential. At present,' Japan imported annually 4m tons of coal worth about £lsm. If the Paparoa coal was suitable, Japanese purchases could amount to 500,000 tons a year.