RAILWAY INQUIRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12757, 29 September 1919, Page 3

RAILWAY INQUIRY.

FLUCTUATING COAL OUTPUT. MR M’VILLY EXAMINED. [Pbr Press Association.] WELLINGTON, September 27. Mr M- • M’A illy, general manager or the railways, examined by the Railway Commission to-day, said there were great fluctuations in the output per man m the coal mines. That was why his Department created a reserve stock. The position was that the Chief Mechanical Engineer reported what the requirements for the year would be. Me considered the Department should have a reserve of not less than 80,000 coa l- What it aimed at was 100,000 tons. The cliairman. Mr J. P. Maxwell, referred to the reports of the general manager of recent years, and which stated that the stock of coal had become perilously low. Mr M’Pilly said, in reply, that the instruct,! ons were that the stock was to be kept up. H e went on to sav tnat the Coal Committee was informed on many occasions that the coal reserve had reached a dangerous point, the Coal Committee devoted it to other purposes, under the rationing system, without the consent or the knowledge of the Railway Department. e believed that the general manager, lOis^ 06oo r dangerous position in 1918. urged that an effort should be made to get vessels coming from Home, or trom other parts, to bring out coal, the question of price was a secondary consideration. When the position became acute, Mr E. H. Hiley, the late general manager, left no sjtone mi“P™*l to get a supply of coal. The Railway Department had complained about railway coal being taken for ships on their return journey to England. Mr Hiley suggested that vessels from Home should go to Newcastle tor the return journey, mstead of taking coal from New Zealand. Witness believed that offers of cargoes of coal at an exorbitant rate had been turned one P 3l5 ® ,c offer meant that coal from Newcastle would have cost £6 a ton as against the current price of £1 a ton. The Munitions Department agreed with the refusal of the. offer. To Mr Marchbanks. witness said he had not had any obstacle put in bis way for the supply of coal. The Shipping Cxunmittee had been approached, and he thought the bulk of the offers had been accepted. To the chairman: The Government waa acquainted with the position ol attain.; that the “cut” would have to take place on July 2. As far back as 1.1 1 a new timetable had been prepared, and that was practically the timetable brought Into operation in July. To Mr Marchbanks. witness said he bad had general reports that the rolling stock was m excellent condition. In answer to Mr Hunt, he said he had a free band in ordering coal, hot the trouble had been largely one of freight. He was of opinion that tho coal reserve should be 100,000 tons. Replying to questions by Mr Mvers, witness said the shortage of sbiiipiim was one of the reasons for the shortage of coal. Drat shortage had caused comaderable anxiety to the late General Manager since 1916. The intervention of the Coal Committee was regarded by the Railway Department as a distinct disadvantage. Without the Coal Committee the Department would have been, he thought, able to carry on wit noli t a “cut,” although possibly some industries might have suffered in consequence The shortage of coal was repeatedly brought before Ministers, and Air Hiley bad endeavoured to get the assistance of the High Commissioner in his efforts to procure coal. Mr Myers read lengthy cOrrespondence between the CoaJ Committee and the Railway Department on tho subjeot of the coal supply. The attitude committee, said witness, was, in 191/ that it would be futile to attempt then to build up a coal reserve and tiie result was tho red notion in the railway service.

a di°nrned unlu iU-oO ajni. on Mondav.