“NO JUSTIFICATION”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26233, 17 August 1946, Page 8

“NO JUSTIFICATION”

NATIONALISATION OF MINES A DUNEDIN OPINION “In my opinion there is no justification for the Government’s proposal to take over the privately-owned coal mines in the Dominion,” commented Mr R. S. M. Sinclair, who is the partowner of a coal mine on the West Coast, to the Daily Times. “ The Minister of Finance,” Mr Sinclair continued, “did not make it clear in his Budget speech whether it was intended to nationalise open-cast as well as underground mines. Speaking as one with a good knowledge of the more recent developments of the industry, it is my opinion that the Government has not made out any sort of case to justify the extreme step it proposes to take. There are no labour or production difficulties so far as the privately-owned mines are concerned. The only problem is the transport bottleneck on the West Coast. At the present time the Westport bar is not workable and the wash-outs on the railway have prevented coal transport by land, but obviously the private mine-owners cannot be blamed for this.” , , . Mr Sinclair expressed the opinion that the Government coud not possibly hope to implement its nationalisation policy until after the elections. “The issue is too big and there is so much capital invested in the privatelyowned mines to expect the Government to take any immediate action. “ I think it can reasonably be assumed that the reference in the Budget to the subject is merely a statement of policy and that it will be made an election issue."