COAL PRODUCTION

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 November 1944, Page 2

COAL PRODUCTION

MINISTER’S STATEMENT.

WELLINGTON, November 7. The output from New Zealand coal mines in October totalled 257,055 tons, an increase of 25,860 tons on production for October last year, said the Minister of Mines (Mr. Webb) tonight. He added that for the last three months the increase was. 48,084 tons over the corresponding period last year. The Minister said that though there had been an aggregate increase, the output for October from some of the principal mines was very disappointing. The chief mines in this category were as follows, the tonnage by which they were down on October of last year being given in parenthesis: Millerton (3000 tons), Denniston (4000 tons), Linton (500 tons), Wairaki (1400 tons), and Star (500 tons). Mr. Webb said he was pleased to note that from November 1 to November 6 open-cast mines had produced 5063 tons. . Production by this method since Glen Afton began in October last year was 87,652 tons. Judging by present production for open-cast mining, the output would far exceed the quantity of coal previously imported from Australia. The Minister said he was very confident that his previous statements would be borne out by results, and that by the end of the year coal production would exceed any previous record for New Zealand. War conditions, said Mr. Webb, had increased greatlv the demand for coal. He would like “to thank the miners for the excellent job they had clone during the war period. Notwithstanding some stupid day stoppages he was confident, as a result of developments taking place that this Summer would see the last of coal troubles, provided bar conditions on the West Coast remained favourable for shipping bituminous coal to the gasworks and i ailways of. the North Island. A better feeling of general goodwill and harmony existed on the mining fields today than ever before,, and it was his intention to facilitate in every way he could the provision of better housing and amenities for the peoples who did such arduous work.