ANOTHER STATE MINE?

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 February 1947, Page 6

ANOTHER STATE MINE?

PAPAROA COAL COMPANY’S PROPERTY NEGOTIATIONS FOR SALE The largest privately-owned coal mine remaining in the Grey district, the Paparoa Coal Company’s property at Paparoa, near Blackball, is under offer' to the State, and negotiations between the Government and the com-, pany in regard to price are proceeding.

Following the announcement of the Government’s intention to proceed''with the nationalisation of all of the Dominion’s coal mines, the Paparoa Company decided to make an immediate offer to the Government to acquire the property., and the negotiations have already been commenced. An inspection of the mine and other assets? was made by the new Minister of Mines, Mr. A. McLagan, on his recent visit to the West Coast, and it is likely that an official announcement will be made at an early date. Sixty Employees. Approximately 60 men are at Present employed in the mine, and the daily output of coal is between 150 and 200 tons. Most of the employees reside in Roa and Blackball. The mine has been a regular coal producer for the past 41 years, and capital expended on the development of the mine and surface equipment has exceeded £300,000, most of which has been subscribed in the Dominion. The property includes 2000 acres of land, all coal beaimg. In the past there has been a limited market for Paparoa coal as it is essentially a steam and c° ke ; mak coal. In fact, it is regarded as the best coking coal available, and in the event of the establishment of a steel industry in the Dominion it would be an essential factor. Amalgamation Possible. The State already operates the mine at Blackball, a short distance away, and in the event of the sent negotiations reaching a .satisfactory conclusion, it is considered that in some respects, the organisations of the two units could be amalgamated, particularly m regard to administration. . p „ narna With the acquisition of Paparoa, the State would control all of the Grey district mines, with the excepSn of the small co-operatives, Blackball, Grey Valley (Jobson), and Wallsend having been acquned under similar circumstances in ic cent years.