COAL SHORTAGE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20414, 26 November 1940, Page 10

COAL SHORTAGE

ABSENTEE MINERS POSITION IN WAIKATO That coal production was lower than it should be owing to the fact that full time was not being worked by 7 the men and that the situation was desperate as far as supplies were concerned was stressed in evidence given before the ffamilton Man-Power Committee in Huntly. Mr. S. C. B. Maeky presided, and associated with him were Messrs. A. Hayward and E. A. Waters. The director of National Service, Mr. J. S. Hunter, and the mine managers appealed on behalf of 41 workers employed in the Waikato collieries and carbonisation works. After hearing all the evidence the committee resolved to advise the Director of National Service that there was definite evidence that full time [rpm bank to bank was not being worked in the mines, that there was an Undue percentage of absentees, dnd that the coal situation was desperate with regard to supplies. The committee agreed that it could not see its way to release any of the mine workers for military set vice and it recommended that the Government should make a thorough investigation into the position relating to the work being clone in the mines.