LARGER COAL OUTPUT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19731, 2 September 1927, Page 13

LARGER COAL OUTPUT.

GREATER USE BY RAILWAYS. RETURNS OF NORTHERN* FIELD. METAL PRODUCTION FIGURES. [by telegraph.—special reporter.] WELLINGTON. Thursday. An increase in the value of the output of New Zealand's metalliferous mines and stone quarries last year is noted in the annual report of the Mines Department, which was presented to Parliament today. Last year's products were valued at £3,329,047, compared with £3,142,279 in 1925. The valuo of minerals, including kauri gum, exported and of the coal used in the Dominion amounted to £3,254,372, as compared with £3,170,828 during 1925. The total value of such minerals exported to the end of 1926 amounted to £162,930,715. The Dominion's coal output last year was 63,959,342 tons, against 61,719,343 tons in 1925. The incroase was wholly due to the increased production of bituminous coal, which was 151,662 tons in excess of the amount produced in the previous year. The output of brown coal showed a small decrease of 5600 tons, and lignite coa! a decrease of 21,058 tons. In the northern district the output - of bituminous coal for the year was 19.622 tons less than in 1925, due to the flooding of the Ilikurangi shaft colliery workings. The output of brown coal showed a small increase of 1068 tons. In the West Coast district there was an increase of 171,283 tons of bituminous coal, a decrease of 321 tons of brown coal and a decrease of 183 tons of lignite. In the southern district there was a reduction of 6347 tons in the amount of brown coal produced and a reduction of 20,875 tons of lignite. During part of the year the market was not able to absorb all the coal that was offering, and consequently many of the mines had to work short time. Prospects improved toward the end of the year by reason of the fact that the Railway .Department was able to take larger quantities of local coal in place of Australian coal for locomotive purposes. In the northern district 190,638 tons of quartz were treated for a yield of £349,1U6, compared with 193,907 tons and £348,703 in the previous year. The average value per ton of the ore treated was £1 17s 2d, compared with £1 17s 3d in 1925, ,

The Minister of Mines, Hon. G. J. Anderson, said some time ago it was suggested to the miners that a State mine should be w r orkcd as a co-operative concern, giving the miners a say on the Board of Control, but the proposal had been turned down by the men. In regard to the James mine, there was an extra hewing rate because of the hardness of the coal. It was now proposed to install a coal cutter, which was being imported. Now that the miners were working only ten days a fortnight that had an effect in increasing the price of coal. The Macdonald mine in the Waikato had been closed because the output was greater than the consumption, and the mine was costing more than the interest on the money invested in it. Up to the present time the estimated cost since 1921, when the mine was opened, would be £250.000. including the expenditure on the railway. However, if it was at any time decided to open the mine again the asset was there, and the State could deal with it at a future date. It would not be wise- to open any other mines there in the meantime.

The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. H. E. Holland, said there was no occasion to bring any coal into New Zealand, which produced every kind of coal needed. It produced practically every class of coal the world knew of, and_ it had the coal in unlimited quantity. Some of the new mines being opened up would produce the .highest class of coal in New Zealand.