DOMINION COAL SUPPLIES

Southland Times, Issue 24112, 29 April 1940, Page 8

DOMINION COAL SUPPLIES

“SERIOUS SHORTAGE” 1 POSITION REVIEWED BY MINISTER (United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, April 27. While frankly admitting that the shortage of coal supplies was serious, the Minister of Railways (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) said today he felt sure that every effort would be put forward by both miners and mine owners to avoid such a drastic possibility as the curtailment of railway services because of reduced supplies. Recent statements by the Minister of Mines (the Hon. P. C. Webb) about a shortage of coal and the possibility of the curtailment of railway services unless the position of supply improved, were brought to Mr Sullivan’s attention. “I have been worried about coal stocks for some time, and have kept the Minister of Mines informed of the position, especially in regard to the reduction of the reserve stocks of the railways and the urgent need that existed for sufficient supplies to rebuild those stocks,” said Mi- Sullivan. He was sure that his colleague was doing his very best to meet the position, which, frankly, was quite serious. The difficulty had been aggravated by floods, which had reduced the serviceability of the Stratford-Okahukura line, and had greatly interfered with the exchange of trucks between Auckland and the west coast portion of the North Island, and, incidentally, the whole of the traffic which had to traverse the main trunk line between Auckland and Marton. In the past this had caused some delay in the supply of trucks to mines in the Waikato district. As Minister, he and the General Manager of Railways (Mr E. Casey) had given constant attention to that aspect of the trouble and, realizing that a shortage of coal would mean an interference of a grave kind with all the business of the country, they had given instructions that coal was to receive preference over less vital needs. That was being done. The waggon supply, however, was only one feature of the coal problem. The coal industry was under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Mines and Mr Webb would leave no stone unturned to increase production and to render unnecessary, Mr Sullivan hoped, any such drastic thing as the curtailment of railway services. Every effort would be made to avoid that, said the Minister. •