MINES OPERATED BY STATE

Taranaki Daily News, 15 August 1929, Page 9

MINES OPERATED BY STATE

PROFIT ON YEAR’S WORKING. SUGGESTIONS BY LABOUR PARTY. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Nig.ht. The report on the year’s working of the State coal mines was presented in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr. E. J. Howard said it seemed to him the Government might adopt a bolder policy in connection with the State mines. There seemed to be an understanding that State mines should not be worked in such a way as to enable coal to be supplied more cheaply than by a private mine. Mr. Howard referred to the success in Bulgaria of the operation of mines by the workers themselves, and he advocated a similar policy in New Zealand. He congratulated all connected with the State mines in New Zealand on the success of the year’s operations.

Mr. H. E. Holland said money'had been lost at the State mites through want of trade, and this was largely due to the lack of railway trucks and the organisation of shipping services. Reference had been made in the report to loss of time owing to disputes, but this was small compared with the loss due to the causes he had stated.

Sir Joseph. Ward said investigations would be made into the point raised by Mr. Holland. The Government had authorised the making of a number of railway trucks in addition to those usually provided annually, and anything, reasonable would be done to prevent delay at the mines owing to lack of trucks. It was impossible, however, for any Government to have a sufficient supply of trucks lying idle ■ a large part of the year so that it would be in a position to meet exorbitant calls on its resources at short notice. Mr. J. O’Brien said he considered the substantial profit made by the State mines was a complete answer to those who in the first place had opposed the proposal for State ownership of coal mines. The Hon. W. A. Veitch said he would consider the suggestion by Mr. O’Brien that an endeavour should be made to store coal in the slack season when there was little demand for it. He did not think New Zealand had yet arrived at the stage when the management of mines should be given to the workers, but he would be prepared to consider a return to the co-opera-tive system. Another matter that would be considered was the provision of new plant, and the problem of carbonisation was being given attention.