THE STATE COAL MINE

Evening Star, Issue 12761, 14 March 1906, Page 6

THE STATE COAL MINE

[SPECIAL TO THE STAR.] WELIJNGTON, March 14. One hears a good deal of the Seddonvill«> urine, especially just now in connection with some popular meetings in the neighborhood. The tendency, of course, as was shown by the most recent of these meetings, is to blame the Government. I find, however, that the Government decline to be blamed for the quality of the coal hi the Seddoaville mine. The quality was at first, as roost people remember, a disappointment—too mueh slack, not enough solid. Last session a report presented to Parliament announced the discovery of a seam of coal of better quality, and ebroniekvl the hope that it would be good enough to make up for lost time by establishing a State retail trade. The next- thing made public is that th.! retail trade has net been established. The truth turns out to be that tlie Seddonville mine is a duffer. The coal, in spite of the hopeful incHcsiiiion announced last session, is still, it is said, in the slack state. Such coal it »>, of course, impossible to offer to the public. But the department is not of that view. Tt is all along of the slack that the present tremble has arisen. Thai is true, as the Under-Seeretarv declares ; but tiero is a reason in thai. ' Th« management get" the coal mixed up in screening, and things got into the impossible state. They now have got over thai stage, and screening is going on all right, and there is plenty of coal to start on now for retail purposes. Moreover, I understand that excellent reports are coming in from the manager as to the improved quality of coal cominjr to hand. Thus the new £3parfcnfe announced under Mr is likely to be «xm a success.