COAL MINES OUTPUT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16583, 16 November 1921, Page 4

COAL MINES OUTPUT.

MINERS NEEDS URGED. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, November 16. Monthly returns showing the output from the thirty-five principal coal mines in the Dominion are now being prepared by the Mines Department. This work, which is undertaken in older to enable the Government to know exactly what the coal production of the country is from month to month, was formerly performed by the Coal Control Department, hut the statistics then covered half-yearly periods. The compilation of the statistics is said to entail no expense to the country, and it will serve a valuable purpose by showing the quantities of various classes of coal produced. The latest figures available disclose that the output of coal per shift in the various mines is being well maintained. Matters affecting the coal miners were placed before the Minister of Labour (the Hon G. J . Anderson) and the Minister of Health (the Hon C. J. Parr) to-day by a deputation consisting of Mr H. E. Holland, M.P. (Duller) and the Hon W. H. MTntyre, M.L.C. (Millerton). Mr Holland put before Ministers the need for ambulances at Stockton an<l Millerton, explaining that the medical associations of the district wished to know the terms upon which the Department would supply an ambulance for each district. The miners were, of course, willing to assist, but wished to know the exact position. The Ministers explained that the Department of Health had promised a subsidy of in the pound on any moneys raised. Mr Holland suggested that the Government should buy the ambulances and collect their proportions from the miners and the companies later. He also placed before the Minister a request from a conference of West Coast accident associations that the royalty payable on coal should he raised from £d to id per ton, and that funds throughout New Zealand should be pooled and reinvested on more favourable terms to enable the fund to pay an injured coal worker 20s a week instead of 12s 6d as at present. He also asked that when a miner has been incapacitated through the use of safety lamps or by overstrain due to his occupation he should be entitled to claim compensation as for an accident. The Minister of Labour said there was no chance of getting legislation through this session unless it went well into next year. He would go thoroughly into the matters raised during the recess, with a view to legislation next session.