COAL SHORTAGE.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16959, 7 October 1920, Page 7

COAL SHORTAGE.

PUKEMIRO MINERS TO RESUME TO-DAY.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TET.EORAM.)

AUCKLAND, October 6. The Pukcmiro miners' dispute is likely to end to-morrow.

The secretary of the Coal Mineowners' Association to-day forwarded a telegram to the Pukemiro Coal Company, to the effect that the Association had made arrangements with the New Zealand Minors' Federation that if work was resumed by the miners to-morrow, the Disputes Committee will meet tomorrow afternoon to consider tho matter in dispute. The company, accordingly, was askod to make arrangements for resumption of work at the mine. The representative of tho company states that it is doubtful if matters will be in readiness for the commencement of work to-morrow. During the cessation of work a considerable amount of repairs were carried out at the mine, and some are not completed. A shortace of engine-drivers was also anticipated. The company, therefore, might have some difficulty in starting work at such short notice. Replying to the telegram from the Coal Owners' Association, the company expresses disappointment at the decision reached, nnd adds. J 'lt is reluctance that we are giving instructions to resume work." Meanwhile the situation as to coal supplies in Auckland are unchanged. The trams are idle, gas is absent, and many people are unemployed. BEVTEW OF THE POSITION.

(special to "the miss.") WELLINGTON. October 6. The coal situation generally is made by the announcement that the Pukemiro miners will resume work tomorrow morning, ponding the consideration of their dispute by the National Disputes Committee. The shortage of coal in the northern districts is reported to be acute, however, and eyon if all t)he mines are worked without interruption, soino time must elapse before the special difficulties arising from the recent stoopages are overcome. Shipments of coal from Australia are proceeding at a fairly satisfactory pace. The chief difficulty at present seems to be the loading of the available ships. The Australian waterside workers are confining work to certain hours of the day, and ships are unable to get their cargoes quickly. This trouble is accentuated as far as New Zealand is concerned by the keen demand for coaJ within tho Commonwealth. The Stats coal miners who are bacK at work are reported to have averaged a production of seven tons of,coal pei man on Tuesday. The quantity is interesting as illustrating tho advantage the community would derive if ZM miners decided to stay at work without stoppages and to produce up to then capacity. Tho coal production of Now Zealand in the year 1918 averaged .0-: tons for each man employed underground, or between 2£ and 3 tons a mar a working day. An average VToAxuAwt of 7 tons a man a working day wouk zo far towards solving the coal problem Probably it would not be possible fo tho miners to maintain such a.rate• o production, but nobody deme tlm awing to the frequent stoppages and tn< £3oV policy, the production has beer far below the capacity of the miner, during the last year or two.