COAL AND GOLD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22357, 2 March 1936, Page 10

COAL AND GOLD

GOVERNMENT POLICY ECONOMIC PRODUCTION ASSISTANCE OF MINING ELECTRICITY FOR DREDGERS The future policy of the Government in regard to the coal and goldmining industries of the Dominion was outlined by the Minister of Mines, Mr. Webb, in a statement issued last night. Dealing with the production of coal the Minister said the Government intended to promote the increased use of New Zealand coal in local industries and conduct a vigorous search for new avenues of coal utilisation. The opening I of any new mines would be curtailed as | far as practicable, for the reason that the present mines in operation were sufficient to provide more than double New Zealand's present requirements. The Government would try to find means for the profitable utilisation of large amounts of slack coal which were at present being dumped to waste, added the Minister. In this connection the Mines Department was working in co-operation with the Department of I Scientific and Industrial Research, and j obtaining information from all over the ' world of the latest developments in the i extraction of oil from coal. The Minister said that steps would be taken to improve mining methods so as to avoid unnecessary wastage of a valuable national asset, and special attention would be given to tbe control of mine fires. It was hoped also to establish one modern rescue station in the coal field in which the risk of mine explosions was greatest. Improvement ol Conditions "As in the case of the employees in gold mines, the present Government is anxious to improve the living conditions of the eoalminers and provide more oP the amenities of modern civilisation in the coalmining townships," continued the Minister. "Another phase of mining in New Zealand in which the Labour Government is most interested is the operation of State coalmines. The oj)eration and further development of these mines will be continued." The Minister said that if oil was to be extracted from coal the mining interests must tune in to the music of modern science, and become thoroughly acquainted with the latent methods in vogue for the treatment of coal for oil products. The most modern machinery would have to be used. This would require huge capital, and all small or comic opera efforts could only lead to disaster. " The Government will encourage more efficient prospecting, and hopes also to provide greater financial assistance to mining ventures in their prospecting and development stages, with the idtimate object of making the gold mining industry more of an investment and less of a gamble,'' said the Minister in dealing with gold production. The holding of mining privileges for speculative purposes without making any real attempt to comply with the requirements of the Mining Act would he severely discouraged, added the Minister. Tlie Government would not tolerate the indefinite locking up of the national resources of the country. Scientific Research The Minister said that scientific methods and research would be applied to the problem of locating new lodes. Also, the Government stood for the improvement of the conditions under which the miners worked and lived, and the maintenance of industrial harmony. Referring to quart:! mining, the Minister said definite efforts were now being made to find new lodes or the extensions of previously worked lodes which had been lost. One prominent company was just about to spend a large sum on diamond boring, and would be financially assisted in its work by the Mines Department. "It is anticipated that within two years' time over 40 dredges will he producing gold," said the Minister. " Dredging possibilities present an entirely new aspect, not only on account of the price of gold, hut also on account of the great depths to which modern machines can work, and their low cost of operation per cubic yard. On the West Coast of the South Island, where the greatest activity is evident, the Government is about, to install a large hydro-elecfric scheme for the special purpose of supplying power to the plants which are in view." The Minister added that several of the dredges in prospect would be among the largest in the world, and would probably be capable of excavating up to a depth of 115 ft.