COAL FOR THE RAILWAYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3195, 9 June 1915, Page 4

COAL FOR THE RAILWAYS.

NECESSITY FOR PROMPT SUPPLIES (From Ocr Own Correspondent.) GBEYMOUTH, May 20. The reason why the Government has been impelled to import 100,000 tons of Newcastle coal for railway purposes during the next 12 months was explained by the Hon. W. H. Herries to a deputation which waited upen him. The Minister said that he'v. ished them to dismiss from their minds the idea that the Government was going to injure the mines or the miners of the West Coast.—(Applause.) The worst of a State business was that thej; were always asked to put their cards on the table. It he answered the questions put, he would be playing with his cards on the table. They all understood that the railways must be worked on busine'ss lines. If he answered the questions put, he would be playing into the hands of the coal ring. He was sure that Mr Webb was not connected with any ring. He hoped that they would give him credit for doing the best for the dominion. If he imported all Newcastle ccal and saved, a lot of money, he would still answer that he was not doing his duty to the dominion. So far as the Blackball “Company was concerned, the department would take twice as much coal as last year. Last year they had taken 29,000 tons of Blackball coal; this year they were taking 60,000. He might add that all the companies were behindhand in their contracts with the Railway Depaitment. The State mines were considerably behind, and the department had been forced to find coal from other places. Brunner had offered 30,000 tons, and the department was only too glad to take it. It had also been agreed to give Paparoa another trial. The department had also to consider its own workers in the locomotive department, and not dump coal on them that they considered was not fit to fire the engines with. The department was short of engines, and it had to help those in the locomotives all it could to get the most out of the engines. It was to their interests that they should not put coal in the engines that was not well suited for them. They could rest assured, however, that West Coast and Greymonth were not going to suffer. Delicate negotiations were proceeding with the companies. Some had already been concluded, and he (Mr Herries) could not divulge infomation that would assist the companies. The quantity of Newcastle coal tendered for was not out of the way, and was not much in excess of previous years. He hoped that they would accept his explanation. The companies were behindhand. He hoped that they would keep their supplies up to date, and keep the miners employed. He did not want to injure the West Coast; only, if they could not supply the coal, or except at exorbitant prices, he was going elsewhere.