Dominion's Coal

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 84, 14 August 1923, Page 5

Dominion's Coal

THE MINES STATEMENT. Per Press Association. Wellington. August 13. In the House tc-day the Hon. G. J. Anderson (Mini&ter for Mines) briught clown the Mines Statement. Discussing it, Mr P, Fraser (Wellington Central) urged the deveiop ment of now coalfields in both the* North and South Islands and an improvement in the housing conditions at many of the mints. Mr K. S. Williams (Bay of Plenty) hoped the Government would not neglect efforts to locate oil in various parts of the Dominion. We could make no better contribution to the defence of the Empire than by finding oil in Neiw; Zealand. Mr J. Edie (Clutha) complained of the high price of coal in the Dominion.

Mr H. E. Holland (Buller) said the high cost of coal was due to the absence of plan in the production o coal in New Zealand. There was no need to import a ton of coal if the industry was properly organise 1. Our dependence on outside coal was a self-accusation of our inaptitude in managing our coal production. The Minister, in reply, said a cheap back freight on coal from Australia \va,s a. great factor in the importation of cal from Australia.

The Governm* nt. however, was not at ' present impor iw coal. The Sato mine in the No th Island was closed at the wo.st p rio I in the coal mining industry, because the Govern-! ment was advised that it could be' winked to better advantage from the other side when the railway wsis completed. The coal was not deteriorating, and it would be available when working conditions improved. | Everything was being done to assist prospecting, but the Government was not going to employ a lot of men and pay them indiscriminately. a—»nnni» i mammmmmm