MR. LUKE'S LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 9, 10 January 1920, Page 5

MR. LUKE'S LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER

REPLY BY MANUFACTURERS.

(BY IiiiBQXAFH.—SPECIAL TO THE TOST.)

AUCKLAND, This Day.

The statement made by the Mayor of Wellington, in a letter to the Prime Minter, regarding the shortage of cement, and in which Mr. Luke suggested importations from England, was yesterday brought under the notice of the management of Wilson's (New Zealand) Portland Cement, Ltd. The reply received was that in the company's opinion, the suggestion made by Mr. Luke was most unfair, on/ the ground that the short-age ol cement in the Dominion was due solely to the shortage of coal. This, it was stated, was made perfectly clear to Mr. Luke in a letter written to him by the Wilsons Company, on 17tb December.

"Instead of the Government being urged to import cements," say the company's directors, "we consider that it should be' urged to deal with the coal situation, which already has become intolerable, and is crippling .many important industries, which find employment for large numbers of men, and greatly add to the wealth of the Dominion." The company reiterates that the t position is thai it, in common with other cement manufacturers in New Zealand, experienced a shortage of coal during practically the whole of last year, and from September on the shortage becama acuta, owing to the "go-slow" policy of the coai mkiers. Since the new year, it was stated, the company had received only sufficient coal to ran one rotary kiln for o/io day, and as it had gathered a little coal during the holidays one rotary kiln had been started at Portland, but unless further coal was received to-day (Saturday) this kiln would have to be again closed. It has been indicated that soms coal may be available during next week, but no guarantee caw be given as to ((uantlty or regularity of supply, and thei present position at Portland is, if N anything, worse ; than it was prior to the holidays. The Warkworth plant has already been closed, so far as cement-mak-ing is concerned, for over three inontjis. although a number of men have been retained with a view to promptly starting work should coal become available.,. As the prospocts of coal being obtainable for Portland mill, let alone Warkworth, are not at all bright, the question of closing the Warkworth plant entirely will have to be seriously considered' during the present month.

Wilsons Company, it was added, if given necessary supplies of coal, could easily supply 8000 tons of cement per month, and the cement could: be distributed long before supplies, could arrive from overseas. On the other hand, unless sufficient coal came quickly, and became available the company might be compelled to closo down its only plant working, which would have the effect of throwing! a large number of men out of employment,