Mixed Reception For Coal Acquisition Plan

Northern Advocate, 23 October 1945, Page 4

Mixed Reception For Coal Acquisition Plan

(Special 11 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. A new plan for Commonwealth acquisition and distribution of all New South Wales coal for five years has had a mixed reception ranging from pleasure by the Miners’ Federation to open doubt of, its solving the coal problems by mine owners and Federal Opposition leaders,. For a long time now Australia has had to suffer through a shortage of coal. All through the war years , the Miners’ Federation has undertaken to control its members and provide sufficient coal, but the average yearly loss has been 1,400,000 tons. Since January this year that average already has been exceeded. * Under the new plan, which was accepted in principle at coal talks in Sydney last week, and which, is to be recommended to the Federal and State Cabinets, the Federal Government hopes that production will be increased. Continuity of Work

The Minister for Supply (Mr Ashley), one of the principals in talks with miners’ officials, says the Government purchase- of coal would stabilise coal production for mine-owners and guarantee miners a continuity of work.

“Employees in the coal industry are afraid they may go back to pre-war conditions of employment, in which the men worked as few as two days a week,” he said. “If the sale of coal is guaranteed, the owners will be able i,o make capital investments.” Mr Ashley added that the owners would not be prepared to spend money in mechanising mines if they feared that the- coal would be left on the grass. The general secretary of the Miners’ Federation (Mr Grant) saffi the plan would ensure that coal consumers all over Australia got a fair share of coal. He said the Federal Government would see that a proper balance was kept in development of .mechanisation so that one company would not be able to spend huge sums and so squeeze out the smaller competitors. The Real Problem The Leader of the Federal Opposition (Mr. R. G. Menzies) said the real coal problem was production, not distribution. “The Government, with its genius for seizing on the non-essential, has apparently decided to deal with the question of distribution by acquiring coal after it has been produced and then. distributing it,” he said, . • The coal-owners' spokesman said there was nothing in the new plan to ensure continuity of coal supplies, and added that unless there is some measure to cut out the continual stoppages, it all seems rather futile. The Sydney “Morning Herald’ also takes ihis view. It says that in itself the plan will not make available one extra ton of coal. The record of the Miners’ Federation inspires no confidence in any improvement in output as a result of this proposed agreement. The statement announcing the new plan advances the pica ilr--t the proposed agreement will ensure for our coal a “ready market at reasonable prices." x t . . What Australia needs desperately tocuvv, however, is coal for her industries alieady operating on supplies 27Va per cent. bcloA normal.