THE BRUNNERTON COAL MINES TROUBLE.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XXVI, Issue 7595, 1 August 1893, Page 3

THE BRUNNERTON COAL MINES TROUBLE.

PREMIER DEPUTATION IS IOD.

EFFECT OF AMALGAMATION.

BY mBQBAPB—PBRH3 :•..)

Wellington, July SI, To-day an influential depntation from the West Coast, South Island, waited on the Premior, pointing out that owing to the flooding of the Brunnerton mine and the coalpit Heath, hundreds of meu were thrown out of work, and ruin threatened the district by tho threatened dosing down of tho Grey Valley Company's mine, in order to allow owners to work theircoalfiald property in Wostporb. It was also pointed out that thero is believed to be a largo area of coal at the back, and thero was an area of 20 acres fenced, which could be worked if granted £1000. Mr Seddon said that the mistake.was in allowing tho Grey Valley and Westport mines to amalgamate, which created a monopoly, and the State .could not interfere However there were, ho said, special, circumstances in the present case, and the Government would ascertain information beforegiviner adecision. The deputation noxt asked for the consideration' of a railway to the coalpit Heath, to open up new coal deposits, the estimated cost of which would be about £25,000. The Premier said that the leases had been hold for the last 20 years by private companies, and never worked, and.the Government could do nothing until the land was again in the hands of

the Crown, Ho added that if the companies were reconstructed, and were prepared to find a portion of Mm cost of the line,: whioh must, when completed, be Handed over to tho railway commissioners, he would recommendits favourable consideration to the Cabinet.