MINING INDUSTRY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 3 February 1926, Page 9

MINING INDUSTRY.

CONFERENCE IN DUNEDIN. (by TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) DUNEDIN, Fell. 3. After an interval of 35 years, the second Dominion mining conference opened this morning,, Professor Park presiding. The Hon. G. J. Anderson, in opening the conference, pointed out that the progress of the Dominion was greatly indebted to the mining industry, and mining had played a most important nart in the development of the Empire. The Minister referred to the indications of a mining revival, and stressed the need for businesslike methods. He pointed out that stock exchanges should lie the guardians of the public, and should exercise great caution before listing shares of any company whose methods of flotation were open to criticism. Cheap hydro-electrical power was essential to the mining industry. The Minister added that lie was still prepared to favourably entertain anv application made by or through’ a local body to he granted a subsidy for a reliable party of prospectors headed by a mining engineer. The Minister emphasised that the cardinal principle of safety must come first in coalmining operations. Referring to oil, the Minister said that it was absolutely essential, before embarking on expensive boring operations, that the services of skilled and experienced oil geologists should he “ligated to determine, as reliably as Possible, that the prospect w.ns such as to iustifv the raising of capital. This should be adeounte, suitable plant should he installed and expert drillers ongaged.