Shovel going to Huntly

Press, 28 November 1977, Page 25

Shovel going to Huntly

Westport reporter j The Mines Department I is keen to remove the I giant 10 cubic-yard shovel I from Stockton. It will soon be taken to Huntly and assembled there, the Minister of Mines (Mr Gair) told the Buller County Council. The council had asked I the Minister about the I shovel’s future. It has i been stored in its packing case at Stockton for the past seven years. The . Mines Department ; bought the shovel in 1970. I It was to dig out coal for j the New Plymouth power station. But this was switched to natural gas. Then when a thermal i power station for Buller I was being planned, it was j expected that the shovel ■ would dig out coal for it. But the station has been deferred. The Minister said that if ■ the shovel could not have \ been used at Huntly, the department would have considered some other way of getting rid of it. ‘■There is, however, a ■ need for a replacement i shovel at Huntly to proj duce coal for the Huntly Power Station, which is , nearly finished,” he said.