WEST COAST AFFAIRS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 13 December 1926, Page 7

WEST COAST AFFAIRS.

MINISTER VISITS DOBSON MINE. OTHER MATTERS DISCUSSED. (BY telegraph—press association.) GREYMOUTH, Dec. 12. The pumping of water into the Dobson mine is still in progress. The Minister of Mines arrived on Saturday, and the Under-Secretary for Mines, Mr Kimbell, was also present when the deputations met the Minister. The latter said an inquiry in regard to the disaster would be held as soon as possible. It seemed that no matter what precautions were taken, especially in gassy mines, these calamities occurred. The Minister alluded to - a disaster ten years ago, where the mortality was colossal despite precautions which were regarded as perfect. The department could only take the advice of experts hut his policy had always been “safety first.” With regard to tne slip on the railway line at Omoto the Minister stated that the engineer was starting the next day to drive piles for bridging the gully where the subsidence was. taking " place, and he believed the difficulty would lie overcome. Regarding the request for improved facilities at the State mines in order to overt a recurrence of unemployment, the Minister said that while' they were getting good coal orders, the department found there was a certain prejudice among gas managers and others against .New Zealand coal. So soon as the department was satisfied that the extra bins were required they would be provided. Plans for these were being prepared, but last year’s profit was too small to warrant anr large-expenditure. The department sold coal cheap in order to help the poorer people in the ■entres and was not looking for a nrofi,t., It was now experimenting with • slack coal, and he believed that shortIv there would he no wastage of this fuel at the State mines.