BRITISH COAL SUPPLIES

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26514, 31 August 1951, Page 9

BRITISH COAL SUPPLIES

TROUBLES EXPECTED LONDON, August 29. “We are full of anxiety about the immediate position of coal supplies and time is moving against us,” said the chairman of the National Coal Board (Sir Herbert Houldworth), making, at Oxford, his first public speech since his appointment to this position. “We need, if possible, more rapid progress than was normally envisaged in the past. We must seek to develop a sense of real urgency and remove all feeting of frustration.” He said that the board intended to launch another recruitment drive as well as seek more effective ways of inducing men to stay in the industry. "So far this year the saleable output of deep-mined coal has increased by more than 395,000 tons and the output of open-cast saleable coal has decreased by about 1.280,000 tons. People who shiver this winter will not be warmed by the better prospects of five years hence. The industry, which may be in difficulty this winter, will not be able to keep the wheels turning by .surveying more distant prospects. "Serious” Stock Position

“Gasworks to-day have 3.5 weeks stock against 3.8 weeks at the corresponding date last year, and the railways 1.7 weeks against two weeks. Merchants’ house coal stocks are about two-thirds of what they were a year ago. and anthracite and boiler fuel is only about half that in 1950. These figures indicate the seriousness of the nosition. We must produce more coal immediately and we require an improvement in attendance.” Sir Geoffrey Vickers, a member of the board, said that the number of miners had decreased by an average of nearly 220 a week, and the total was now below 700.000 If it was not for the release of former miners from regular engagement in the armed services, its manpower total would have been much lower. "Nearly 70,000 men are leaving the industry every year. In other words, each pit, on an average, loses one man itl 10 in every year.”