FUTURE OF BULLER COAL INDUSTRY

Grey River Argus, 14 October 1949, Page 8

FUTURE OF BULLER COAL INDUSTRY

In an effort to clarify the position concerning the life of the Buller coal fields, Westport Borough Council decided at its monthly meeting to request the Minister of Mines, Hon. Mr McLagan, to make a statement on tests and boring, and, if possible, to give an indication of the extent of the resources of the district. Cr J. Kilkenny said that the remarks of a coal valuer on oath in the Land Valuation Court at Westport recently had been brought to his notice as giving some cause for alarm. The valuer (Mr T. Crosby) had estimated that the life of the three main coal mines, Denniston, Millerton and Stockton, would not exceed 25 years, his calculations being based on the amount of proved coal available. That statement, following on others made very casually by Ministers, and even members of the Mines Department, might be somewhat misconstrued, said Cr Kilkenny. It was desirable that, in the interests of Buller, the position should be made clear by Mr McLagan, who evidently did not share the pessimism of some people when he sanctioned almost £1,000,000 worth of modern machinery for use at Denniston and Stockton.

“If the coal fields are going to be worked out in a few years’ time, we should be told that”, added Cr Kilkenny. It would be nice to know that Westport would continue to be the centre of a large industrial area for a long time to come, but, on the other hand, if it were to be a ghost town soon, it would be better to tell the people now. It would be more satisfactory for those contemplating new industries in the district to hear some assurance from the Miniscar on its future prospects, or some in'ormation which would justify the carrying on of important schemes. Wes'.port could do with some industries such as the big sawmill and sash and door factory which would be employing 30 men next year.

Cr Kilkenny spoke of confiieti.ig statements made by the Ministe 1- of Works, Hon. Mr Semple, in the first place, and others connected closely with the mining industrv. Mr Semple had estimated the life of rhe bituminous coal resources of Buller at 15 to 20 years some time ago. Damage had been done by an official of the Mines Department, who gave a somewhat similar impression in a published statement. Before tha:, however, Mr P. C. Webb, when Minister of Mines, said that there was a fife of more than 100 years for Buller coal 'Then the Member for Buller, Hon. Mr Skinner, had rightly, to his mind, claimed that it would be foolish for any person to make an estimate on the coal resources until proper bores and tests were made.

“I feel that Mr Webb may have bee nnearer the mark when he made his estimate, and I also feel that the Minister is well satisfied that there will be large quantities of coal in the Buller for many years ahead, but any statements which might possibly give the impression that our main industry will soon peter out, should be avoided by his officers. In the case of Mr Crosby, the future of this district was at .stake when he made an assessment merely on a financial argument of the life of our coal”, added Cr Kilkenny.

Cr P. McDonald supported the view expressed by Cr Kilkenny. The Governmentxivas making strenuous efforts to test areas which might hold coal. Perhaps more progress had been mad G in the Greymouth district, on that work than in Buller. It had been reassuring to find that large areas of good coal existed where it had never been sought before. The Minister might take the stand that more boring would be required before he would feel capable of making a definite statement on the resources of this district, but he (Cr McDonald) agreed that some statements were disturbing. Hg felt that the process of valuation in the case mentioned might have governed the estimates of the Buller coal.

Cr H. J. Adams said that a definite statement from the Minister would set many minds at rest in the district. Ho had spoken to Mr McLagan on the new developments,in the district, such as the building boom, and the Minister had given him the impression that there was unlimited coal in the Buller.

Cr Kilkenny: “He might feel that way, but son e statements are to the opposite”. Mention of the estimate by a well[mown geologist (Mr Morgan) of 30 years ago that there was enough coal in the Blackburn area alone to last New Zealand for 200 years, was made by Cr S. Jenkins, who added that that area had not yet been worked.