COALMINE IN AVOCA

Feilding Star, Volume 7, Issue 2303, 4 September 1929, Page 3

COALMINE IN AVOCA

CO-OPERATIVE VENTERE TRANSPORT TROUBLE SOLVED For sonic weeks a party of miners thrown out of work through the Hikurangi coalmine becoming flooded; have been developing an outcrop of coal on an area of land at Avoca, over which, they IJUive secured mining rights. The mine is about three miles from the Tangowahine Wharf, and labout 12 from Dargav.ille. A good i/jace 'of excellent liouse'hoh coal has been opened up, and borings go to allow that fcbere is a large supply uvailablo Tho trouble lias been not as much as to win the coal from the mine, but to get if to the railhead, which within the next three months will he at Tangowahine, and the wharf at tho same place.! The difficulty arose owing to fbe absence of a good road to the mine, and the reluctance of the County Council to allow the coai to bo carted over its roads without a substantial royalty* However, those obstacles have now been overcome. A delegation from the council, including the chairman, Mr V. Trounson, met the men at the mine ycsfciTday in eonierelice. The members of flue council were impressed witty the prospects oi getting cheap coal in the district, and decided to reduce the royalty irom Gdi per ton mile to 2d per ton mile, and make a grant of Lilt) to put the mine in order. The miners in return promised to cart aIL the metal required for patching the road free of cost t° tho county. It is expected that the opening of this mine will reduce the price of coal in the district. The mine is being worked oh the sco-.oßerati v*> system.