COAL SUPPLIES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 45, Issue 13752, 3 February 1919, Page 5

COAL SUPPLIES.

OUTLOOK NOT BRIGHT,

After the experience of last winter, many Masterton residents are rather anxious as to how they are to fare for uoal supplies this year. The Minister of Mines, the Hon. W. D. S. MaeDonald, was asked by a representative or' the Ohristehurch Press wliat the prospects were of greater supplies of coal being available. "So far as increased output is concerned," Mr MaeDonald replied, ''it should be helped by the return of the large number of miners at present at the front. As to supplies from Australia, they will depend largely upon what dimensions the epidemic assumes. We are using every endeavour to arrive at means whereby the dominion's industries can be maintained in the meantime. The matter has been difficult for the last two years —very difficult. Last winter shipping was held up to such an extent that the miners were putting in only eight days per fortnight. During the past two months there has been plenty of shipping available, but what between the epidemic—unfortunately a number of miners succumbed —and the holidays, there was only a very smoll output. The men are not yet all back to work, hut the bulk of them have started."