THE COAL CUT.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 169, 17 July 1919, Page 7

THE COAL CUT.

ANOTHER PASSENGER REDUCTION. INCB*EAS"E"D GOODS TRATFIC. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") WELLINGTON, this day. Through passenger traffic on the railWT3 will 'be further reduced. Some hope of "slisht improvement in goods transit was given by the Minister of Railways to a deputation from Palmerston North, which for two hours discussed the coal situation with Sir James Allen and the Hans. Herries, Mac Donald p,nd Myers. foe deputationists particularly urged the Government to indicate, if possible, tie duration of the railway cut so as to enable employers to carry on in the hope of avoiding discharges of hands. "We are emphatically of opinion that the Government should make further restrictions in the passenger traffic," said Mr Nash (Mayor of Palmerston). "People can afford to slay at -home, but the supply of goods is essential." Mr Field (member for Otaki) supported this suggestion. He addeii that it was quite useless, at this stage, to bhune the Government, but he wished to point out that- coastal steamers appeared to have plenty of coal, and that the Governor-General had been enjoying a pleasant trip in the South Sea Islands, using up a good deal of coal. He urged the Government to help to keep going by financing them to stack timber at mills. Other speakers dealt with the necesgiry for supplying timber for soldiers' dwellings, also to complete buildings, particularly extensions to dairy factories, and to allow stud stock to be carried on hhe rail ways, as Waikato and other parts of the Auckland district largely depended on the Manawatu for stud stock. A sugegstion -was! made that supplies of Waikato coal going into timber districts should be prohibited, as irood could be used. FURTHER PASSENGER RESTRICTIONS. Sir James Allen, announcing a further restriction of passenger traffic, said wihen the Minister of Railways first proposed tlie railway '" cut" he was of opinion that the inconvenience imposed on passengers would be so great as to restrict traffic, but this was not &o~ consequently the Govenrmerrfc -would limit paserrger traffic to essential travelling, and utilise any saving for the carriage of goods. RAILWAY COAL STOCKS. The Minister of Railways announced that the present railway stock of coal is S.OOO tons. "We are," he said, "going to put on only a, certain number of passenger carriages, and will only carry those obliged to travel. We won't carry ' joy riders."" A Deputationist: Do you call racegoers essential? Mr Hemes: We Won't put on extra accommodation for them. If people have relations dying in Ohristchurch about the second week in August, we will have to carry them to the funeral, (laughter.) PATKENA'S COAL CONSUMPTION. Referring to the use of coal for the tpecial steamer service .between Wellington and Auckland, the Minister deck-red that expresses were no more ame to run. on bunker coal than they eonld fly. All the coal the Pateena used eonkl not take an express beyond Palmerston. as it would all blow "up the engine chimney. PROSPECT OF RELIEF. As for the prospects of alleviating the cut, the Minister said: ''The prospects are a little better than when the cut *as made, and towards the end of the month we may be able to do a little more in the way of taking goods, but everything depends on what will happen in Australia. It will be a difficult matter to know what to open up on first, and we will be glad to get the advice of Chambers of Commerce up in Waikato. What will have to be first tackled is the necessities of the dairying industry. Then there is the question of providing timber for soldiers' homes and nncompleted -buildings. I don't know yet tf we can realise our hope to carrymore at the end of the month: but it is the best plan to restrict passenger and Hot goods traffic." -Voices: Quite right! The Minister: I'm glad to find the deputation agrees. We may be able then to solve difficulties regarding stud stock, timber and Max in dairying districts. Tie first matter to be attended to is eernent for factories, especially in the Waikato, where big alterations are being "hade for the coming season. NO ULTERIOR MOTIVE, "Someone outside," concluded the Minister, 'Tias suggested that we made the because we wanted to give labour a slap in the face." "ur. Xash: It has been suggested that it was a good move by the National Government. Mr. Herries: It would have been suiedal to have done so. The fact was that the railway coal supply was not there, and. we .would 'have gone on until *c stopped altogether. IMPORT DIFFICULTIES. The Hon. A. M. Myers dealt with the "Hvenrment's continual efforts to make "*P, by importation, the heavy deficien- i 5® in New Zealand's coal supply. | *ae railways' average monthly requirements' totalled 21,000 tons, but the Slippy dropped in June to 13,000 tons. "So *ar as the future is concerned," said Mr •Myers. '• it is more hopeful. There is at Present in sight about 70,000 tons of' c °al. due to the efforts of the Government in obtaining American supplies by vessels coming through the Panama Canal." ° ' The whole crux of the position, continued the Minister, was in the fact that the output of the New Zealand mines to ' the end of June was 137,000 tons less than in the corresponding period last "fear, and had it not been for iniporta- ! tipns increasing by r,0.000 tons compared *HB last year tilings would have been ttudi more serious. The output of New i Zealand mines must Ire increased, or we c °u"d not carry on. Anyone who sug- i Rested higher wages without incrca.sed i output was asking the impossible. Owing to influenza rt-strictions only three Union Reamers were available for coal car- j but as soon as conditions permitted every available ounce of tonnage "*"ould be sent to Newcastle to aug- ' ttent cur supplies. j The deputation promised the Minister *° hold snothyr local conference to , suggestions regarding traffic re- | lairing oTi'-fcrenve when the service improves.