THE COAL SHORTAGE

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16035, 28 January 1920, Page 2

THE COAL SHORTAGE

RESTRICTION OP RAILWAY

SERVICES

NOT FAVOURED BY PREMIER,

(Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, January 27. A suggestion has been made in Christchurch that the country should begin to economise in coal by cutting down railway services in order that more coal may be released for private industries. It was alleged that the Government was storing up huge reserves of coal to the detriment of other people in dire need of fuel for industrial and domestic purposes.

These suggestions were submitted to the Minister of Railways to-day. Mr Massey said the railways must hate a sufficient supply of coal in hand to make secure the running of services without interruption. Stocks, when mere figures were given, might seem big, but when it wasf remembered that for the month from December 20th to January 20th the consumption of coal by the railways was at the rate of 10,000 tons per week, it should be clear that the railways were not safe if big stocks were not held. During these weeks- there had not only been an immense holdiay traffic, but these had been the busiest weeks of the year in ordinary freight traffic and carriage of the produce of the country to ports. He considered the railways were the most important industry in the country, and the n6ed of the railways for coal was second only to that of the freezing works, which must have ooa-l to keep machinery going. If the railways stopped running, every industry in the country would suffer immediately. Mr Massey •dded that he did not consider the holiday traffic should be stopped if it were possible to keep it going. People had keen denied the privilege of travel at the holiday season for five years, and he thought they were entitled to the opportunity of cheaper travel this year if it could be done at all.