RAILWAYS SAY “NO,” SO MINE WILL BE IDLE

Northern Advocate, 24 June 1937, Page 8

RAILWAYS SAY “NO,” SO MINE WILL BE IDLE

Ban On Dewatering At Kamo Collieries Owing to a virtual prohibition against further pumping operations, imposed by the Railways Department, 30 miners employed by Kamo Colleries Ltd., have received notice of the termination of their employment. The men will cease work at the week-end. The colliery management desires to pump the water out of its own workings, situated in the vicinity of the railway reserve. It is feared by the Railway Department that such pumping would dewater old passages run* hing under the railway line, with a possibility of subsidence taking place. The. company, however, is satisfied, from old records and from recent exploration and* the testimony of miners who had worked in the old Kamo mine, that the old workings under the railway reserve subsided nearly 50 years ago, and that the only excavation' under the line is an old tunnel, driven through the fallen ground after this had occurred. 1 V ■ 1 » Pumping Discontinued. Necessary pumping has been discontinued, in consequence of a notice served by the District Inspector of Mines, and recently the Crown Solicitor has notified the company that ho attempt must be made to lower the Water. ' The position at the colliery is now that sufficient coal to keep the men in employment for only another week remains in ,the dewatered portions. If permission were obtained to proceed with the pumping the men could be kept working, or, at the worst, with .only a short break. An expensive pump, manufactured in England especially .to meet the requirements at Kamo, arrived recently, but meanwhile is, lying idle. Largest Unit In Northland. many reverses, of which this is the most serious, the company, within two years, has built its production up to 200 tons daily, making it the largest coal winning unit in Northland.

Hewing will cease altogether next week unless pumping can be done, and, for nine months, dead work only will be possible.

Construction work has already been commenced on two drives and an air shaft, and about a dozen men will be retained to continue with this work in the opening up of a new fipld. Two representatives' of the Miners’ Union will proceed to Wellington at the week-end to discuss with the Ministers of Railways and Mines the serious position that has arisen. They will ask that action be taken to enable industry and employment to continue. Deputation Meets Minister. € Last evening a deputation comprising Messrs W. M. Fraser, (chairman of Kamo Colleries Ltd.), W. H. Reed (director), J. Makinson (mine, manager) , representing the company, and Messrs W. t)avidson (president) and J. Dobson, of the Kamo Miners’ Union, waited upon the Hon. W. E. Parry, Minister of Internal Affairs. The deputation made a strong plea for permission to lower the water in the mine to allow production to continue. It was stated that 70 men were employed, 60 of whom had been taken off relief ' works two years ago, and kept in constant employment ever since. The amount paid in wages and to contractors at the mine was approximately £2OOO monthly, and, timber and other locally-produced materials, which employed a number of additional men in the bushes, etc.,

accounted for an additional £6OO per month.

There were 28 regular customers, including freezing works and dairy companies, who would be put to serious inconvenience and extra expense by the importation of coal. ’ ' i Mainstay Of Hikurangi. It was pointed out that Kamo Colleries had been the mainstay of the mining township of Hikurangi, having absorbed a large number of the men thrown out of employment by the closing of the two large mines there. Most of the men engaged at Kamo continued to reside at Hikurangi. Thirty men had received a fortnight’s notice, and as production would cease entirely in a week’s time, other employees would, of necessity, be put off. It was urged that the company be permitted to lower the water to enable existing seams to be worked.

The deputation received a sympathetic hearing, and Mr. Parry undertook to bring the matter under the immediate notice of the Minister of Mines with a view to having everything possible done to khep the mine in productivity. 3