COAL PRODUCTION

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 105, 30 October 1942, Page 4

COAL PRODUCTION

WAIKATO OUTPUT GROWING

(P.A.)

AUCKLAND, October 29

Before leaving with the Waikato Coal Mines Control Board to meet the production council and pit committees in Huntly today, the Minister of Mines (Mr. Webb) said the board had appointed as secretary Mr. J. Allison, at present managing secretary of Pukemi.ro- Collieries Ltd. Matters 'settled yesterday included reports on the establishment of contract trucking, which was now operating in all except two mines, the inauguration of working machines in pillars at the Renown Colliery, and the need of installing boring machines. The output- report since resumption indicated that production was as follows: —First week 16,136 tons, second 16,805, third 17.231, fourth 17,008. Before the mines were declared to be controlled on behalf of the State the average production was 15,850 tons weekly. The. board was aiming at a weekly output of 18,500 tons, steadily increasing to meet future needs.

The railway coal stocks had shown a welcome improvement in the past month, the North Island increase being 9352 tons and the South Island 2608. Mr. Webb added: "There is still a lot of leeway to niake up before the railway and other coal stocks in the country are built up to a basis which is considered safe in wartime. To achieve this will require a very long and sustained effort on the part of all in the industry." ■. ...