NEED FOR MORE COAL

Southland Times, Issue 24108, 23 April 1940, Page 4

NEED FOR MORE COAL

Conference To Be Held POSSIBLE RESTRICTION OF RAILWAY SERVICES (United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, April 22. One of the first repercussions of a shortage of coal supplies in New Zealand would be a restricted railway service. This statement was made by the Minister of Mines (the Hon. P. C. Webb) today when commenting on the conditions existing in the coal industr Mr Webb said the Government would deplore the necessity to curtail the railway service, but if supplies were not available it would have no alternative.

Mi Webb added that investigations were being made to ascertain the speediest way in which extra coal could be produced to meet immediate requirements. When a report on these investigations had been received the Government would not hesitate to take whatever action was deemed wise to put the recommendations into effect. On his return to Wellington he intended to confer with the representatives of mine owners and mine workers to review general conditions prevailing in the industry. At the conclusion of this conference recommendations would be submitted to the Government for the enforcement of better co-ordina-tion in the industry. Mr Webb added that the situation as regards supplies in the North Island was worse than in the South Island, and unless shipping conditions were favourable from South Island . west coast ports, there was a real possibility of a shortage of bituminous supplies there which would be serious for the railways. In reply to a question, Mr Webb said the Government had followed the previous Government’s policy of not granting leases in new areas. This was done to prevent uneconomic development, but in the light of present-day facts the policy must be reviewed, and the Government was determined sufficient mines would be opened to maintain supplies.