COAL OWNERS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 130, 28 November 1929, Page 11

COAL OWNERS

ANNUAL MEETING

INCREASED OUTPUT

The annual meeting of the New Zealand Coal Mine Owners' Association was held in Wellington yesterday, Colonel.W. D. Holgate presiding. In his presidential address, Colonel Holgate said he was pleased to state that the agreements entered into in 1928 between tho owners and the unions had,' on the whole, been well maintained, work at most collieries had been steady, and there had been less slack time. That could be accounted for to some extent by the coal strike in New South Wales. Judging from the returns showing the miners' earnings during the past twelve months, they should have every reason to be satisfied with the agreements. The output of New £ealand coal taken from the Mines Department report foj 1928 showed an increase of 70,013 tons over the output for 1927. That could be accounted for by the reduction of imported,coals used on the Government railways* The imported coal for 1928 was 240,861 tons a decrease of 105,828 tons on the coal imported for 1927. These figures, therefore, showed that there was less coal consumed by 35,815 tons in New Zealand in 1928 than in 1927. The number of men employed in 1928 was practically the same as in 1927.

"It is very gratifying to note that the importation of. coal for the New Zealand railways was 105,828 tons less than in 1927," said Colonel Holgate. The figures for 1929 are not to hand put I understand that the Government is using New Zealand coal whenever possible. I also wish to compliment the management of the Railway Department on the better supply of trucks for carrying coal than for many years previously. One exception was the shortage of trucks at the Grey "Valley mine, when representation, was made to tho Minister. No other complaints have come to hand.