COAL IN GOLDEN BAY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 23 June 1943, Page 6

COAL IN GOLDEN BAY

[To the Editor! Sir, —One oi' the first undertakings of the newly-l'ormed League oi Local Bodies for the promotion of industries I and the advancement of the northern I part of the South Island in general should be to go thoroughly into the matter of the development of the large coal deposits at Puponga. It appears that the working of these deposits so far has not been very successful and it is time that the State or some enterprising company was given an opportunity to supply Nelson and Marlborough with all their coal requirements. Six years ago the Government inspector urged the development of the Puponga mine and boring operations proved that large quantities of lirst-class coal existed and it would be interesting to know the reason why the offer of Government assistance was turned down when the development could have been financed so cheaply. This coal is practically at Nelson’s front door and, v/ith the scows now available, there would be no need for us to have to almost beg for a bag of coal. The Collingwood County Council ought to be aroused from its slumber by the cold t.o realise that the mine is now closed indefinitely and endeavour to do something about a matter that is impeding the progress of the county. The Westhaven Coal Coy is carrying on heroically but the output is hopelessly inadequate to relieve the shortage. This mine is capable of much greater development and it is now up to the two bodies mentioned to get behind this industry and push for all they are worth. —I am etc., SHORT OF COAL. Collingwood, 18th June. Commenting on this letter, the managing director of the Puponga Coal Company. Mr T. Neale, said yesterday morning that the writer was not acquainted with the fact:. There was no plant available in New Zealand or Australia to do the job. This had been established by one of the best engineering firms in New Zealand and agreed to by the Mines Department. The Government had done everything in its power to assist. A member of the Nelson-Marlbor-ough-West Coast League of Local Bodies executive said that the league had already had the question of unworked and not fully worked coalmines in Golden Bay brought to its notice by Mr R. W. Sparrow, Golden Bay member of the League executive. Representations at present were not likely to achieve much in face of well-known wartime difficulties, but the wider question of full development of the coal resources of the League’s area was one in which it would continue to interest itself.