SUPPLY OF COAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20678, 25 September 1930, Page 13

SUPPLY OF COAL.

TAUPIRI COMPANY'S TENDER.

ACCEPTANCE AGAIN CRITICISED. COMPLAINTS OF UNFAIRNESS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL .REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. Dissatisfaction at the explanation given regarding the acceptance of the Taupiri Coal Company's tender to supply the Railway Department with 1500 tons of coal weekly at 19s 3d a ton, the supplies to be seasonal, was again expressed in the House of Representatives to-day, when the Railway Estimates were under discussion. Mr. W. L. Martin (Labour—Raglan) asked the Minister of Railways, Hon. W. A. Veitch, if the contract with tho Taupiri Coal Company was seasonal and whether tho tenders of other companies had not been taken into consideration because they provided for the supply of coal each week. He said ho understood it was tho intention of the department to instal spark arresters on the Main Trunk engines, and ho asked whether, if that were so, other companies would be given an opportunity of tendering for the extra supplies of coal that would bo necessary. The Minister said the department was not in a position to buy Waikato coal for every month of tho year. If the spark-arresting device proved a success, however, it would be in a position to purchase Waikato coal all the year round. The Taupiri contract provided for all the department's requirements. Mr. Martin: Then it may become a yearly contract instead of a seasonal one ? Tho Minister said there was a possibility of it developing into a continuous contract. Mr. W. P. Endean (Reform—Parnell) said tho Controller of Stores, Mr. E. J. Guinness, had sent a letter to Pukemiro Collieries on September 2 stating that the accepted tender was for seasonal supplies, and that there was no obligation on tho department to take supplies throughout the whole year. Mr. Endean said his reading of that was that tho contract was for winter supplies. The Government's decision unconsciously victimised the colliery workers in the Waikato. The miners in the Pukemiro, Renown and Waipa, mines would work only about two days a week in summer and three days a week in winter, while the miners at Taupiri and Glen Afton would be working full time.

The Minister should explain the unbusinesslike manner in which the contract was let, continued Mr. Endean. The correspondence would show that Pukemiro Collieries were absolutely misled. The company had been asked to tender for three years. It seemed to Mr. Endean that there had been some "engineering" somewhere. The sooner a committee was set lip to examine the correspondence on the subject and take evidence the better it would be for the coal companies and for the workers in the mines. Mr. Martin said there was sure to be a lot of feeling among the miners as a result of the Government's action. It seemed to him there was reasonable cause for complaint ajb the way the contract was fixed up. If the conditions had been made known to the other mining companies it was reasonable to suppose they would have tendered on a different basis.

FUTURE OF RAILWAY.

ELECTRIFICATION PROPOSAL.

WELLINGTON TO PAEKAKARIKI.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—SrEOIAL REPORTER.] "WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Electrification of the Wellington-Pae-kakariki railway line is under consideration, according to a statement by tho Minister of Railways, Hon. W. A. Veitch. in the House of Representatives to-day. The question of the future of the present line was raised by Mr. R. A. Wright (Reform— Wellington Suburbs) and by Mr. W. H. Field (Reform—Otaki) during consideration of the Railway Estimates, both members seeking information as to the use to which the line would be put when tho Tawa Flat deviation was completed. The Minister said the future use < to which the line would be pufc_ was being considered, although no official decision had been made nor was he in a position to say when it would be available. He reminded the House that he had taken over the portfolio of Railways only a few weeks before the opening of the session and he had not had a chance to decido as many things as he would have liked. However, he assured the members whose districts were concerned that their interests would not be overlooked. Electrification of the Wellington-Pae-kakariki line was under consideration. A report upon the project had already been sent to him from the head office of the Railways Department, and he had given the question some thought. The Minister added that he had not had an opportunity of discussing the proposal with officers of his department, but it. was hoped that finality would be reached in the near future. A number of alternatives had to bo considered. The question whether the Pukerua incline was to be the ruling grade for the line was of great importance.