MOSSBANK MINE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 23014, 4 October 1944, Page 7

MOSSBANK MINE

Why Government Took

It Over

(N.Z.P.A.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 3. The Minister of Mines (the Hon. P. C. Webb), commenting to-night on the Government’s decision to reopen the Mossbank Colliery, said the Government had endeavoured to assist the Mossbank Coal Company to establish the mine bn an economic basis, and had granted the colliery special subsidies totalling £6450, in addition to the ordinary coal subsidies, as well as other assistance. The company was without a mine manager and was unable fully to equip the mine with plant, and any further subsidy would have been tantamount to subsidising. The decision of the directors to cease operations was unavoidable, and the Government, realising that the coal supply must be maintained even if it meant a slight loss per ton, had decided to keep the miners operating. It was difficult to estimate the total coal in the property, but there were at least 50,000 tons standing in pillars which would be extracted, and the Mines Department was sending a manager from the West Coast to take control. The Department would also install adequate plant which could be transferred to other State mines when Mossbank was worked out. The field would be explored, and if the results were satisfactory only the coal standing in pillars would be worked.