Buller miners prepare for fight
Westport reporter Buller miners are preparing for a fight. They believe that the Ministry of Energy wants to close the Mount William mine, and they are determined not to let the officials have their way. The Secretary of Mines (Mr W. S. Partel) arrived in Westport yesterday for a three-day visit, and the question of the continued working of the Mount William mine Will be raised with him. The miners will ask Mr Partel to keep the mine in full production. Nineteen men work the Mount William pit, and while the Ministry will no doubt find them work in another colliery, they want to stay in the highly successful hvdro mine where the tonnage per miner is much higher than in any other mine, and where the cost of production is exceptionally low. They will argue that in these energy-conscious times the closing of any mine is not in the national interest. Mr Partel, for his part, will probablv remind Buller miners that the Mount William coal has a high sulphur content which creates consumer resistance. However, research is under way on “coal washing,” which could reduce a worth-while percentage of the sulphur. The miners hope to meet Mr Partel tomorrow, after he has finished his inspection of new mining projects in Buller, including the Ngakawau coal-handling complex.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19800415.2.17
Bibliographic details
Press, 15 April 1980, Page 2
Word Count
223Buller miners prepare for fight Press, 15 April 1980, Page 2
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Copyright in all Footrot Flats cartoons is owned by Diogenes Designs Ltd. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise these cartoons and make them available online as part of this digitised version of the Press. You can search, browse, and print Footrot Flats cartoons for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Diogenes Designs Ltd for any other use.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.
Log in