DOMINION’S' COAL

Hokitika Guardian, 22 September 1937, Page 6

DOMINION’S' COAL

OUTPUT FOR HALF YEAH , SOUTH ISLAND INCREASE WELLINGTON, Sept 20. The output of coal from the principal New Zealand mines during . the first six months of thi; s year exceeded 1,000,000 tons, -an increase of close on 35,000 tons over the corresponding period last year, and this production maintained in employment underground and on the surface an average of 4346 workers. • In making this -statement in an interview to-day ” the Minister of Alines, the Hon. P; C. Webb, said the returns from the various coalfields showed that the South Island mines had increased their output by 62,000 tons, while production in the Noitli Island had decreased by 27,513 tons. The total production was 1.088.853 tons.

“An appreciable feature of the industry this year is the fact that for the comparative periods under review the importations of coal dropped by 7289 tons irom 54.250 tons to 47,061 tons,” continued Air Webb, “but against that satisfactory gain our exports of coal decreased from 26.880 tons in the first, six months last year to 21,431 toils during the first half of this year, a drop of 5449 toils.

“In view of the enormous increase in the use of electric power and heat throughout the Dominion, the coal mining results are good. As Minis lor of Alines 1 would have been better pleased had the industry been able to employ more hands. Hie increase in the average number of workers was only 114, compared with the average total during the corresponding period in 1936. However, it is gratifying to know that the industry is sharing In the national industrial recovery.