EXPORT SHORTAGE

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 54, Issue 3895, 28 April 1937, Page 4

EXPORT SHORTAGE

SCOTTISH COAL PROBLEMS. In spite of the Scottish coal industiy’s unemployment problem there is at present a serious shortage of supplies of coal for export. The shipping trade is chiefly concerned, and the figures for January, amounting to 773,000 tons, represent a fall of, 146,000 tons exported.

This setback is due almost entirely to the lack of work in the home market and the fact that collieries prefer to do home business where possible. Many of the collieries have now so much work in hand that they are unable to take on more new business for months to crime. Several of the collieries primarily catering for the shipping and export trade, it is stated, have already closed their books in respect of further orders for this year, while some others have actually substantial tonnages sold for delivery well into 1938.

It is considered most unlikely that the Scottish collieries would be in a position to tender - for, the 250,000-ton summer order of the Swedish State railways, part of which is usually booked by Scottish firms. Lanarkshire and Ayrshire arc quite unable to cope with any real volume of foreign trade and even as far as local requirements are concerned, their supplies require to be supplemented by large tenanges from other districts.

Reasons which have led to this position are likely to be discussed in the near future. One question which willl be under consideration is whether the Coalmines Act has been in any way responsible. So. far as can he ascertained the collieries are working to the limit of their capacity.