Export of Coast coal?

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32540, 25 February 1971, Page 1

Export of Coast coal?

(Staff reporter accompanying the Minister)

GREYMOUTH, February 24.

A contract might be negotiated later this year for the export of West Coast coal, said the Minister of Mines (Mr Shelton), interviewed in Hokitika today after he had completed a three-day factfinding tour of Buller and Westland coal-mining districts.

The Minister said that while there were no firm understandings with Japanese or other national interests for the supply of coal, the economic report he was expecting from an inter-departmental committee might indicate that early arrangements should be made for exports.

“I am only guessing but if this were so we could negotiate a contract by the end of the year,” said the Minister. He was asked how this would fit in with proposals to create a big-ship port on the West Coast. “My own feeling is that if we can export economically, we should go ahead without delay,” he said. “I have said on this tour that if a big-ship port is found to be economically feasible, it would take some time, perhaps a year or more, to find a workable design.” The Minister said that he had been interested in the support given by the chairman of the Grey County Council (Mr D. J. Ryall) to the proposal to send Buller coal away for export by rail to Lyttelton. One factor that had to be considered on the port issue was its economic future. It would not be cheap to build

the port and the Government probably would have to meet the cost. What happened if, in 10 years, the coal trade slumped? There were other “economic ifs.” The Minister said that he had been impressed particularly at Stockton, by the ease with which high-quality coking coal could be obtained by open-cast working. It seemed to him that the open-cast method would be the best way to extract large quantities of export coal.