COAL SUPPLIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23662, 22 May 1940, Page 10

COAL SUPPLIES

CAUSES OF SHORTAGE POSITION NOW IMPROVED TWO NEW STATE COLLIERIES [BY TELEGRAPH —I'KESS ASSOCIATION] WELL!NGTON, Tuesday Tho reopening by the State of two collieries abandoned by their former owners, one at Mangapeehi and the other near Ohurn, in the King Country, was announced by the Minister of . Mines, tho Hon. P. C. Webb, in a statement to-night on tho production of coal in New Zealand. The Minister said that much had been written lately concerning the shortage of coal. Production in 1D39 was 2,342,639 tons, an increaso of 120,551 tons, compared with tho previous year. It was the highest since 19.'30 and had only been exceeded on four previous occasions.

"Importations of coal in 3 9.39 amounted to 111,537 tons, 2331 tons more than in 1938," said Mr. Webb. "Tho returns for tho past year also indicate that production per man showed a slight improvement on the previous year. Tho output of the man employed underground was two tons higher at 661 tons and a man on the payroll showed an improvement of fivo tons at -192 tons. Increasing Demand "Over tho past fivo years consumption in factories has increased by 130,000 tons and coal used by railway locomotives has also shown a steady increase, consumption last year being about 15,000 tons higher. "Up to the. end of December, 1939, the situation in this country was quite satisfactory. Unfortunately since that timo production has not kept apaco with consumption and there lias been a very rapid diminution of the stocks held by industry. A series of unusual events contributed to this position. First production decreased at tho Glen Afton colliery, which had been affected by a disaster which occurred toward tlie end of last year. Slips and flooding in the North Island and on the West Coast of tho South Island delayed shipping and immobilised a number of railway waggons which held up production at tho principal collieries. Loss ol 60,000 Tons "I am informed that loss of output duo to these circumstances was in the vicinity of 60,000 tons," continued Mr. Webb. "For the first three months of this year tho production of coal was 35,62-1 tons lower than for the same period in 1939, but the April returns show an increaso of 60,000 tons over April, 1939. The. leeway has already been made up. I am satisfied that tho returns will continue to improve.

"I would also like to emphasise that the protracted strike in Australia has made it necessary to supply coal from Now Zealand mines for naval vessels' vital war requirements and for bunkering steamers. We are now on the eve of winter and coal temporarily is in short supply. I use tlio word temporarily because I am confident that the men engaged in the coalmining industry will rise to the occasion and produce all the coal required.

"I attended last week a meeting of mine owners and men, at which a resolution was passed conveying n pledge to the Government to cooperate to produce the coal required in this Dominion without interruption or delay. My appeal goes out now to owners, managers and men engaged at the mines to give full and practical support to the Government at this time and show tlio people of this country what you are able to do. Appeal to the Industry •"I want to be able to reassure the general public and let them know the coal they require for their factories or their homes will be available to them, and toll the Minister of Railways he need not worry about reducing his railway services. "All that is necessary is a better spirit of mutual respect and goodwill and earnestness at this juncture, to set aside any petty differences which may ariso. "Finally I would like to make it clear the Governmfint has been fully alive to the need for keeping up the production of coal. In addition to three State collieries operating near Greymouth, from which 1200 tons daily is produced, two other collieries, abandoned by the former owners, lmvo been re-opened as Stato coal mines. One of these, in Mangapeehi, commences production this week, and the other, near Ohura, is expected to commence production within a fortnight." The Minister said the Government was also assisting threo other collieries with finance and technical advice to maintain output,, and in a7i effort to place those units on an economic basis.