BOLD EXPERIMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26177, 13 June 1946, Page 5

BOLD EXPERIMENT

BRITAIN’S COAL BILL NATIONALISATION PLAN MINISTER OPTIMISTIC LONDON, June 11. “ The Coal Bill is a bold and audacious experiment on which the future of the Labour Party might depend,” said Mr Emanuel Shinwell, Minister of Fuel and Power, at the Labour Party Conference at Bournemouth, introducing the Executive Committee’s report on the Socialisation programme. He added: ‘‘lf it fails we cannot hope to promote further schemes of nationalisation. The experiment must succeed. I believe it will.” No matter what terms of compensation are arranged, Mr Shinwell said, he was convinced that the nationalisation of mines would be a financial success. It was imperative that they should not be subsidised by the Exchequer. The Government also intended to nationalise electricity. Mr Shinwell said he was preparing a Bill to make electricity available to every person who, and every industry which, desired it. The nationalisation of gas would follow. The nationalisation schemes, taken by and large, must not be subsidised by the Exchequer. Later, within the present Parliament, the Government would take the gas industry •“ in its stride.” Once the Government nationalised coal, electricity, and gas under the aegis of the National Fuel and Power Corporation, it would have at its disposal an instrument of great power and influence, and could proceed further along the path of nationalisation.

“We propose to deal with the transport industry,” said Mr Shinwell. “ The railways, if they are to pay their way, cannot be divorced from road transport. This will be embodied in legislation, and will become an actual fact very soon. The same applies to iron and steel.”

Warning his hearers that the opponents of nationalisation were still strong and influential, Mr Shinwell said the remaining influence and power might later reflect itself in the House of Lords. If it did, the Labour /arty must be ready to fight. Turning to the question of petrol rationing, Mr Shinwell said he hoped that they would emerge in due course from these “ irrational, sometimes irritating, restrictions.” He added,that rationing was not only a questhii of dollars, but one that involved oil interests, which were “ just about as sticky a problem as confronts the Government. Unless we apply ourselves to the problem with diplomacy, due care, and foresight, we may find ourselves involved in disaster.”