THE COAL POSITION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17583, 29 May 1919, Page 2

THE COAL POSITION.

A REAL SHORTAGE

RAILWAY SUPPLIES ARE LOW.

THOSE ALLEGATIONS OF HOARD-

ING.

The Hon. Artiu.r Myers, Minister in Charge of Coal jJistribution, made a statement on Tuesday vrith reference to a recently published article in which the statement was made that people were short of coal not so much because there is less hewed coal in the country, but oecause huge quantities are being taken for the railways.

Mr Myers stated that this was not the position, and expressed surprise in view of the recent publication of the figures showing the combined outputs and importatic s for the period 1914 to 191S inclusive, and the evidence given last week before the Industrien Commission in respect to the shortage of miners and decreased output of New Zealand mines —that such a statement should have been made. In order to remove any misapprehenr ion on the point he desired to restate the figures, which are c; follows:— Combined Outputs and Importations. Tons. 1914 2,793,663 1915 2,562,095 .1916 2,561,091 1917 2,360,016 1918 2.078,626 Comrared with 1914 the figures for ,191" disclose a shortage of 715----037 tons, of which 529,138 tons is a shortage in the hard coals produced in New Zealand. It will thus be seen how the present shortage of coal for industrial domestic use has i taken place, as the total coal available for 1914 represented about the normal requirements for maintenance of the Dominion's industries, public services, and trr.de requirements. In order that the public may have some idea of the coal re-: quired to maintaian the public services and primary industries of the* : Dominion, the figures are stated hereunder: — Tons. [Railways 300,000 bunkering requirements . .-, 440,000 Freezing works 130,000 Gas works 240,000 Electric light and >ower .. 70,000 The industries and services enumerated above require almost exclusively Lard coal to carry on their activities; therefore it will be readily understood the difficulty there is mi making full provision, for the domestic and other retirements of the Dominion on the balance available— 898,626 tons, approximately. I In regard to the statement that the railways had been building up stocks r f coal to the detriment of 1 householders, the Minister stated that the present position with regard to railway stocks was causing the gravest anxiety ,and if the position did not improve a further curtail-! nient c' the train services at present provided might be look' . for. Referring to the statement that inferior coal has lately been landed by steamers engaged in the NewcastlejNevr Zealand i-ade, the Minister poir-'jed c -it that since the Commonwealth authorities nad taken the control of the Newcastle nines all coal for export f3 provide*, by them, and steamers have to take whatever coal is available, quite irrespective or orders placed with the respective j collieries hy importers. He was not aware of any inferior coal . having been landed ex Waihora, as stated, although ros ibly coal had been loaded at Newcastle from certain mines that have not usually been in the habit of supplying New Zealand requirements, but this is a matter over which the Government liave no control under the conditions now obtaining at Newcastle.

In respect to the American coal recently landed ex s.s. Raranga, Mr Myers st~' ;d that tbe bulk of this coal was absorbed by freezing works, public institutions, and railways, and only a limited quantiy was taken into stock for retailing to householders. Reports as to its quality as a domestic fuel were generally of a satisfaC' tory nature, and the public should realise that the Department, in arranging for these r.bipments of overseas coal, had done so in order to assist in relieving the present acute shortage within the Dominion.