COAL SHORTAGE.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16850, 2 June 1920, Page 6

COAL SHORTAGE.

STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER. STRINGENT ECONOMY necessary. (SPECIAL TO ''THE PRESS. ) WET.LINGTON", Juno 1. The Prime Minister, dealing this evening with the coal question, slated That since 1914 there had been a net decrease in the combined output and imports, taking each year separately, of no fewer than 490,000 tons. _ The most serious aspect, however, Mr Massev went on to say, 'is tno steady decline in the production of bituminous and semi-bituminous coal m the No.v Zealand mines, on which the Dominion largely depends for carrying on its shipping freezing, gas works, public services, 'and other essential industries, for which this class ot coal is. suitable. The total shortage in this ola*, of coal for the same period amounts to almost 600,000 tons, equal to more than half the quantity of hard coal mined in New Zealand for the vear 1910. "With a lo«s of over halt a million tons in live years, and having regard to tlio incrGASßil consumption, or our v.iivs, «hippins. -tnd principal industries and other public services tho public will readily understand the enormous difliculties experienced in allocating supplies Tn order to avoid a curtailment or stoppage in tho activities indicated, and at the same time provide as far as po=sible for the reasonable requirements of householders. In this latter connexion, experience lias shown that coal allocated to gas rfnd electric power works results in a larger number of households beincr given facilities for cooking and heating purposes than would be the case if an equivalent quantity of coal wero allocated direct t<j householders through the usual channels. In the case of gas works, one ton of coal carbonised returns not only its quota of gas, but also 40 per cent, of coke, which in turn can be used for domestic purposes and for generating power. "The approximate annual consumption of some of our main" services and industries are as follows: — Tons. Railways ... ... 300.000 Gas works ... ... 250.0H0 Freezing works ... 150.0C0 Shipping ... ... 500,000 Electric light and power 80,000 Total ... ... 1,280,000 "This excceds the production of hard coal in the Dominion for the year 1919 by 318,893 tons. This will clearly indicate that had it not been for the special efforts mado by the Government to increase importations, a national crisis would have been inevitable. Taking tho year 1919 as compared with the previous year, importations were increased from 235,332 tons to 455.494 tons, an increase of 200,162 tons; or, to put tho matter another way: If the importations for 1919 had bccli on a parity with the previous year, we would not have had sufficient hard coal to have met the demands of the five main industries and services enumerated above. "Unfortunately the figures for the four months of the current year (January Ist to April 30th), in comparison with tho same period of last year, disclose a further decrease in tfie output of bituminous and semi-bituminous coals from the principal New Zealand mines of 57,000 tons, but, fortunately, importations during the same period were increased by 48.000 tons, leaving a net decrease to April 30th last of approximately 9000 tons. It will be remembered, however, that the 'go-clow' policy which was inaugurated m Sep>tember last, was only terminated at the end of February last, and the decrease recorded in the_ New Zealand mines up to April 30th is largely accounted for by this factor. Since the termination of the 'go-slow' policy movement, there has been a considerable improvement in the production of coal on the West Coast, and in other mines of the Dominion.

"While it is very gratifying to record an improvement in recent months, it is re.<zrettfible that other factors havo considerably more thnn counter-balanc-ed such increases. For example, shipping tonna.ge has had to bo provided to lift the Dominion's purchase of wheat, which, at tho present time, is utilising shipping to the extent of 12,000 tons per month. That had to be provided from tonnage usually engaged in.the carringe of Newcastle coal. In. addition to this, tho Admiralty requiremtents for Westport 'coal havo to bo met to the extent of approximately 5000. _ tons per month, and requisitions in hand for bunkering supplies for oversea steamers allotted to New Zealand for the carriage of frozen produce, amount to close on 12,000 tons of coal for the month of June, and other steamers will, in addition, havo i>o bo provided for on arrival in Now Zealand waters. It is trusted that the shipping arrangements made will result in tho whole of the wheat purchased by New Zealand being lifted by tho end of June, when the tonnage thus released will be available for the carriage of coal from Nowcastlo.

''Owing to the steady decline in tho production of hard coal, and tho frequent stoppages in the source of supply, industries generally havo bo3n unable to build up resorve stocks, consequently they are entirely dependent on regular weekly shipments to enable them to carry on operations. In this connexion tho geographical position of tho West Coast mines is a very important factor, inasmuch as all coal produced has to bo transported by sea, so thn.t any delays to shipping due to tho bars being unworkable, bad weather at discharge ports, or other causes affecting tho movements of steamers, result in industries and other services being placed in a serious position for supplies, and at this time of the year such dolays havo to be contended with almost weekly.

"A careful scrutiny of tlio figures quotod will clearly indicate to tho pubbe the impossibility at the present time of increasing the allocation of coal for household purposes without seriously interfering with the operations of important _ industrial concerns and public services, on which tho prosperity and progress of the Dominion so largely depend. It should be realised that tho shortage of coal is universal throughout the Dominion, and is not confined to any particular locality, and if the insistent demands of somo districts now being made were accoded to, it could only be done by withdrawing supplies from others, where the shortage is just as acute. Tho position is being very carefully watched by the Coal Control Department. and tho Trade Committees in the four centres are doing their utmost to distribute all coal arriving in their respective districts, so as to avoid, as far as possible, any undue hardship to the public."