SOLVING COAL PROBLEM

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 264, 7 October 1942, Page 2

SOLVING COAL PROBLEM

(Rec. 12.30 p.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 6. When the House of Commons resumed its discussion of the coal position to-day, the majority of the speakers urged the Government to recall miners from the Forces and industry, taking the view that it is not a question of reducing consumption but of increasing production in order to bridge the estimated gap of 11 million tons between production and consumption. Winding up the debate, the Lord President of the Council (Sir John Anderson) said it was quite false to assume that there existed to-day a large untapped reserve of miners in the Services or industry, although since 1941 several thousand ex-min-ers had gone back to the pits. The most that could be released now for the mines, even including those from the Field Army, was 3000 or 4000. The principle of equal sacrifices would have to apply. Battle casualties would have to be met as they occurred by drawing even upon the reserves of a vital industry such as the aircraft industry. Sir John added that agriculture recently relinquished 10,000 men though the Government had been told this would be impossible.—Official Wireless.