SHORTAGE OF TRUCKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14000, 4 March 1909, Page 5

SHORTAGE OF TRUCKS.

POSITION AT HUNTLY.

EFFECT ON SOUTHERN MARKET [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]

' , Huntly, Wednesday. Owing to the failure of the Railway Do partment to supply sufficient trucks, Ralph's mine at Huntly was again closed down to-day. The position is a serious one, meaning, as it does, that with the mines being closed down at such frequent intervals a large number of men are thrown out of work, while the loss to the company and various industries which art handicapped in their operations through a, shortage of fuel is considerable. In an interview to-day, Mr. W. J. Ralph, one of the directors of the Taupiri Coal Mines, Limited, said that during the 'past three weeks Ralph's mino bad been closed down for no less than six days owing to a shortage of trucks. This meant that no less than 200 men had been thrown idle for a week, and they bad lost something over £600 in wages, 6i»oh man receiving 10s 4d per day for his services. While the mine was thus idle, the company was put to considerable expense in retaining a staff, and keeping the pumps going. "We are unable to meet the" requirements of .customers within the immediate vicinity of the mine," continued Mr. Ralph, "and car not even look at the market which has been opened in the South by the completion of the Main Trunk line. Day after day we are receiving orders for* coal from all parts of the Wellington and Taranaki provinces, but cannot fulfil them, owing to insufficient rolling stojk. What we want from the Department is a guaranteed supply of from 120 to 150 trucks a day. " There is a great deal of talk about the unemployed at the present time, but if the Government would supply us regularly with the number of trucks required, we should be able to put on fully another hundred men at Ralph's mine, and not only would these men and the company benefit, but other men would ! also be given employment in the building of the extra trucks, and in the handling of the increased output. The coal consumer would also benefit, in that he would be able to get more coal at a cheaper price." ___