Coal Imports Of 100,000 Tons Sought This Year

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 March 1949, Page 6

Coal Imports Of 100,000 Tons Sought This Year

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, March 13. The coal supply outlook for the coming winter was reasonably good as long as output was maintained. The supply should be, if anything, better than last year, and there was the prospect of better quality coal being available in the Wellington area. This was stated by the Under-Secretary for Mines (Mr C. H. Benney) today. In some underground mines, production was improving towards prewar figures, Mr Benney said. Output in some mines had dropped after the war, as development work deferred during the war because of the need for immediate production had been done. ,

Imports Last Year New Zealand last year imported 62,118 tons of coal, compared with a target of 80,000 to 100,000 tons, said Mr Benney. A further two shipments totalling 9212 tons which arrived in the country in December, but were not discharged until January, brought the total to 71 a 330 tons. Of that, 44,259

tons came from the United Kingdom, 9275 tons from South Africa, 9158 tons from the United States, and 8648 tons from India. Mr Benney said New Zealand needed to import coal because her own output of a type suitable for gasworks and railways was insufficient. The import target set for this year was again about 100,000 tons. There was a reasonably good chance of imports from South Africa, but it was not likely that any would come from India or the United States. The possibility of importing coal from Queensland was being'investigated, but that did not appear to be as good a proposition as South African coal as long as it was available. South African toal appeared to be both cheaper and of better quality. . Discussing the labour question, Mr Benney said there was no shortage of men in the mines, but all mines were seeking experienced workers. The turnover of labour was not as great as it had been. In that respect there was a settling-down tendency. Accommodation For Miners

An officer of the Labour Department with whom the question of immigrant workers for mines was discussed, said that so far only 115 assisted immigrants, all single men, had gone to work in the mines. Because of Britain’s own need of miners, few of those who came to New Zealand were

experienced men. The department would continue to recruit men for the work where possible. J However, accommodation would be a difficulty if a large number was offering, the officer said. Some additional accommodation had been pre vided in mining districts during the last year, with hostels at Reefton and Huntly, and new hostels would be opened at Ohura and Ohai probably in the next few weks. Further hostels were planned for Granity, where a small one was already in existence, Denniston and Blackball. Of the hostels already built or almost finished, Huntly had room for 100 men, Reefton for 52, Ohai for 50 and Ohura for 32. In the case of Ohura, communal facilities would provide for up to 50 men if further hutments were needed later.