COAL SITUATION

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 103, 3 May 1919, Page 9

COAL SITUATION

THE SUPPLIES FROM NEW'

CASTLE.

The Federal Government, as announced in a recent cable message from Australia, has decided to commandeer all coal in the Commonwealth, and regulations have been issued empowering' the Government to control the sale and distribution. The. Hon. Arthur M. Myers (Minister in charge of the Coal Reg'ula-' tion in New Zealand) stated yesterday that, as far as he could judge, the. Dominion's supply from Newcastle would in no way be detrimentally affected, as it was not anticipated that the output from the mines; would be reduced.

With regard- to the regulations referred to in the cable message, Mr. Myers said that no doubt they are on similar lines to those gazetted under the war. regulations in New Zealand in February, .1917, by which means sufficient stocks of coal have been made available for the maintenance of the shipping, railways, freezing, and other essential industries of the Dominion, which are de? pendent on the regular supply of coal.

Speaking ori the coal position generally, the Minister stated that the recent strikes in Newcastle had given considerable cause for1 anxiety, but from information received he understood the bulk of the miners had resumed' work, and he hoped a regular supply would soon be again coming to hand from this source. Every endeavour was being made also to arrange for overseas ships en route to the Dominion, both yia America and Australia, to pick up cargoes of coal. The recent epidemic and strike at Millerton, together with the continued stoppage of work at the Green Island mines, Otago, had accentuated the extreme shortage of coal, which had existed during the past two years in practically every part of the Dominion.

"Every possible effort is being made, however," said Mr. Myers, "to do the best possible in the national interests with tlie supplies that are coming to hand."