COAL POSITION

Grey River Argus, 27 November 1944, Page 5

COAL POSITION

Minister’s Statement CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY PERIOD. PA. WELLINGTON, December 25. “The Government is doing everything possible to augment coal supplies to meet all requirements,” said the Minister of Mines (the Hon. P. C. Webb). It was necessary for him to review the position in view of the alarming statements that h.ad been circulated to the effect' that gas works would be short, of coal during the Christmas holidays, he said. Ample coal was being mined and was in sight. Mr. Webb said the men employed in open-cast mines at Southland, Stockton, Reefton and in the Waikato district had agreed to work throughout the holiday season, and an assurance had been given him of sufficient ships to take coal fl'om the South Island, provided the harbours were workable. Asked what would be the position of the Railways Department, Mr. Webb said that that was. a question, for the Munster ot Tthe Hon R. Stable) -'-CO' answer. Mr. Semple had to be sure that there would be sufficient bituminous coal available to justify him in extending the present services, and a conference would be held early next week .between the Railways and the Mines Departments to consider the position At that conference a report would be submitted by the Mines Deoartment showing the coal Position and stocks on hand and to be mined during the coming weeks, lhe Minister of Railways would then determine whether the position would justify his providing additional trains to carry holiday traffic Referring to gas works. Mr. Webb said that with the exception of-Wel-lington, the situation appeared to be well in hand. He admitted that stocks were low in Wellington, but with the promise of shipping that bad been made he had every confidence that there would be no shortage during the holiday season providcd the West Coast poits could be worked. Referring to coal for industries Mr. Webb said that the Stockton open-cast mine was now in production, and the n'line wou d work throughout the holiday season and produce at least 5,000 tons during that period. As the Reefton open-c.ast mines would also work during the holidays the estimate was that there would be approximately 8,000 tons available during the holiday period which would alleviate any serious industrial shortage. N.S.W. MINERS. XMAS HOLIDAY~CUT PROPOSED. (Special to N.Z. Press Assn.). (Rec. 8.5.) SYDNEY, Nov 26 A reduction of the miners’ Christmas holiday from sixteen days to ten days has been unanimously iecommended to the Lodges by to Miners’ Management Board of tnc important. Northern New South Wales coalfield. The miners in western New South Wales have alieady decided to limit their holidays to ten days. They will begin their Christm.as vacation on December 23, ieturning to work on January instead of January 8, as originally planned. The saving of production days in the western mines, whicn have an excellent working record, will represent twenty-eight thousand tons to the coal pool. A similar decision is expected to be made by the northern miners. This would have an important effect upon the total coal production, since the northern district comprises more than half the total miners’ membership and total production. It is expected that endorsement of the Board of Management’s recommendation will mean a loss of only four normal working days over the entire Christmas period. Had the New South Wales miners taken lhe full sixteen days’ holiday permitted them by law, half a million tons of coal would have been lost to the war effort. The miners’ general secretary, Mr. G. W. S. Grant, said that his executive appreciated the low level of the coal stocks in the country, and was anxious to do everything possible to keep industry and transport functioning normally.