LESS WASTAGE OF COAL

Southland Times, Issue 23584, 11 August 1938, Page 8

LESS WASTAGE OF COAL

CONSERVING NATION’S RESOURCES MINISTER’S REVIEW IN MINES STATEMENT (Special to The Times) WELLINGTON, August 10. “Since I took office I am pleased to say that the problem of wastage of slack coal has undergone a complete transformation,” said the Hon. P. C. Webb, Minister of Mines, in presenting the Mines Statement to the House of Representatives today. “In both the Waikato and Southland districts, where the position was most acute, the coal mining companies, in response to my personal appeals, have entered into voluntary arrangements for controlling the sizes of screens. I wish to express to the companies my appreciation of their co-operation. Recent geological reports, as to the limited extent of the coal resources of the country serve to strengthen my conviction and resolve that, so long as I remain in office, everything reasonably possible must be done to conserve those resources.” The following statement shows the quantity and value of the production of metalliferous mines, stone quarries under the Stone Quarries Act, and of coal mines during 1937 and 1936:—

The value of minerals, including kauri gum, exported and of the. coal used in the Dominion, amounted to £3,916,176, as compared with £3,691,419 during 1936. The total value of such minerals exported to the end of 1937 amounted to £199,875,932. During the year 612,4680 z of bullion, valued at £1,319,743 was produced, an increase in quantity of 14,9200 z, and in value of £47,156, as compared with the previous year. The gold content of the bullion is estimated at 168,4870 z, valued at £1,279,893. COALMINING There were 172 coal mines operating in the Dominion in 1937. Eighty-two of these mines are situated on freehold property and produced 993,853 tons or 44 per cent, of the total output. The remaining 90 mines are situated on Crown lands and produced. 1,283,946 tons, or 56 per cent., of the total output of 2,277,799 tons. The annual production of coal since 1930 has been as follows:—1930, 2,542,092 tons; 1931, 2,157,756 tons; 1932, • tons; 1933, 1,821,258 tons; 1934, : 2,060,315 tons; 1935, 2,115,184 tons; 1936, 1 2,140,217 tons; 1937, 2,277,799 tons. 1 “The increase in output for 1937 is ; 6.43 per cent, above the figure for 1936, ! and since 1933 a recovery of over 25 per I cent, has taken place. The quantity of '• coal imported into New Zealand in ’ 1937 was 116,499 tons. .

“I am gratified that our local output has shown an increase for th fourth year in succession, and I am also pleased to point out that in only four years in the country’s history have our mines produced more coal than in 1937, these years being 1927, 1928, 1929, and 1930,” said the Minister. “The position must be regarded as very satisfactory in view of the inroads of competitive forms of power into the industrial field during the past ten years. I want, of course, to see the position of the coal-minin? industry still further improved, and I again appeal to gasmaking concerns, which are the principal consumers of imported coal, to do their utmost to help our local industry.” NEW METHODS OF UTILIZATION The department continued to keep in intimate touch with the latest developments abroad in hydrogenation and other processes for the extraction of oil from coal. Further work had been undertaken on the survey of our coal resource*. The past year’s operations had been mainly devoted to the Greymouth field, but the Geological Survey Department, which was controlled by the Minister in Charge of Scientific and Industrial Research, reported a serious shortage of suitable officers in New Zealand for such work. The investigations, which had so far been made, seemed to indicate that the reserves of bituminous coal which could be economically worked were less than previously estimated.

The recent decision of the Government to establish an iron and steel industry made the early completion of the survey of bituminous fields a matter of imperative importance. On his assumption of office he decided upon a thorough overhaul of all mining legislation. He did not desire his decision to be taken as an indication that he did not have a high regard for the existing statutes. He had always believed the Coal Mines Act of 1925 to be one of the finest pieces of legislation of

its kind in the world. But conditions were continually changing, and the} must advance with the times. Coal Mines Amendment Bills were therefore submitted to Parliament in both the years 1936 and 1937, and passed. The 1936 Amendment was a short measure of six sections only, but the 1937 Amendment comprised 32 sections.

The Pensions Act 1926, as amended, provided for payment of pensions to miners seriously and permanently incapacitated by miners’ phthisis or totally incapacitated by other occupational disease or heart disease contracted while mining in New Zealand. The rate of pension for a miner is 25/- a week, with 10/- a week added for his wife, if he was married, and a maximum of 10/- a week for each dependent child under 15, subject to a limit of £4 5/a week for the family. The widow of a miner who died while in receipt of a pension was entitled to receive 17/6 a week while she remained a widow.

1937 1936 Mineral Quantity Value Quantity Value £ £ Gold and Silver* 612,468 oz 1.319,743 597,548 oz 1,272,587 Platinum 55 oz 423 29 oz 187 Iron-ore 571 tons 880 Stone 444,837 342,861 Pumice 2,931 tons 8.057 ' 3,242 tons 8,881 Coal 2.277.799 tons 2,277,799 2.140,217 tons 2,140,217 Tungsten-ore 23 14-20 tons 6.468 28 2-20 tons 3.488 Manganese-ore 5 tons 50 Silica sand 164 tons 236 Quicksilver 1,344 lb 336 TOTAL £4,058,829 £3,768,181 ; * The gold-silver bullion is generally exported unseparated.