COAL-BEARING FIELD

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 152, 24 March 1925, Page 6

COAL-BEARING FIELD

INSPECTED BY MINISTER. Br Telegraph—Press Association. Greymoufh, March 23. The Hon. G. J.Anderson (Minister of Mines arrived from Westport to-day, receiving deputations urging that the Elmer Lane railway yards be proceeded with, that the Highways Board maintain certain borough roads, that the flour duty be removed, and that advances to settlers be speeded up. The Minister promised to urge consideration for the loan applicants with large families. He visited Dobson mine this afternoon and viewed the coal scam over fourteen feet thick, congratulating the company on the long period of production ahead of it. He believed it would be a very valuable propertv. He urged the company to use the most up-to-date methods and house its employees in the best possible way, and this would pay them ultimately.

Mr. R. Bell, a director of the company, urged the use of New Zealand coal" on the railways. The Minister replied that probably the Inquiry Board would result in a larger use of New Zealand coal, especially for goods traffic. Mr. Bell intimated that the company had ordered up-to-date machinery which would soon arrive, and that they intended giving their emploi ees ’ the best possible conditions. The peam to-dav presented convincing evidence of < magnificent deposit. Some 400 acres had been proved already, out of the two thousand held by the company. He pointed out that the company had paid off £3OOO owing by the old company. The Minister will next proceed to Runanga to meet the State Miners’ Union, who resumed work to-dav, and will then go south to Westland.