COAL OUTPUT

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 22150, 23 September 1943, Page 6

COAL OUTPUT

RECORD CLAIMED LABOUR ADMINISTRATION During the course of his intensive campaign, the official Labour candidate for Waikato, Mr C. Croall, said that he had received numerous in- j quiries in connection with coal production and why there should be a j scarcity for household consumption, j Actually, said the speaker, the out- 1 put had increased 14£ per cent since ; pre-war years. In 1939, he said, 2,342,639 tons were produced; in 1940, 2,516,099 tons; in 1941, 2,639,507 tons and in 1942, 2,680,041 tons. The latter figure was a record for the Dominion and yet the proportion of unskilled labour to skilled labour was higher than ever it was. The national output per person, working underground, had also increased, from 661 tons in 1939 to 732 in 1942. Waikato collieries were brought under State control in 1942 and in the first eight months under that control production was increased by 8.37 per cent over the corresponding period of the previous year. Reasons for Coal Shortages Coal shortages, especially in regard to civilian needs, were due, said Mr Croall, to shipping difficulties, and further to the increasing demands made on available stocks by war and essential industries. The increased coal demand in various industries could be well illustrated by the following examples. In 1935-36 the railways used 435,000 tons of coal and in 1942-43 600,000 were required. Gas now required 268,000 against 205,000 formerly; power, 100,000 against 10,500; meat freezing, 122,000 compared with 85,000; lime and cement, 144,000 as against 70,000 and butter and cheese, 154,000 compared with 136,000. Further, said Mr Croall, the price of coal to consumers had been stabilised and the increased cost to the mine owners, such as higher wages, shipping charges, materials, etc., had been made up by means of Government subsidy, which last year amounted to £355,730. Subsidies to Industries

Claiming that subsidies paid to industries kept costs down, Mr Croall quoted the following subsidies as having been paid last year.—Bread, £463,000; sugar, £714,000; coal, £530,000; eggs, £100,000; superphosphates, £963,000; bags and sacks, £200,000; freight on lime and manures, £414,000. In addition to these subsidies, over £2,000,000 was necessary for the stabilisation of farm prices. Professor Copeland, of Melbourne University, had paid a tribute to the New Zealand Government for its efficiency in stabilising prices. The speaker contended that farmers generally were satisfied with the guaranteed price. For the first four years of guaranteed price for dairy produce, the Government paid out over £2,000,000 more than the price received on the London market. Mr Goosman had said in Parliament that the National Party would abolish the guaranteed price. Wool-Growers’ Bonus He thought the Government had made a mistake in withholding the 15 per cent bonus from the woolgrowers, said Mr Croall. Mr Croall said that £4,000,000 would be spent this year on building homes for the people. The provision of furniture for homes was also being arranged for, and by mass production a moderate home could be furnished for £IOO, on easy terms. The speaker favoured putting builders on joint production councils to ensure greater production.

WORKERS’ LIVING COSTS

Referring to the increased cost of living Mr C. G. Burke, Democratic Labour candidate for Waikato, said at Te Awamutu that when stabilisation had been introduced, costs had not been touched. Workers had gained nothing by the cost of living bonus because of additional taxation. Tb offset the cost of living bonus, payable to employees, employers had simply added the extra cost to their goods with the result that the worker had to pay more. Mr Burke strongly criticised the

Upper House and singled out certain of its members for special mention. There must be some revision of our overseas debt, said Mr Burke. By revision, he said, he did not mean repudiation. We were still paying interest on the Maori War, paying interest to the great-great-grandson of the person who loaned us the money. We had borrowed money to pay interest on money borrowed and then borrowed further money to pay interest bn the latter—and so the debt went marching on. Mr Burke said that the Democratic Labour Party was going to take over the State bank. They would need only to take over the one bank, in that after they had commenced to issue loans at 4 1-8 per cent, the others would soon fall into line or close their doors. Speaking on rehabilitation, Mr Burke said his party was more alive to this question than any other party in the field, as many members were returned men of this and the last war. They wanted the returned soldier to have a job that would last him for life. He would be given land .and the Democratic Labour Party would issue money to ensure that he would be able to make a decent livelihood. Broadcasting; Allegation Mr Burke said he wished to know in what manner the broadcasting nights were allotted to the parties. If on the basis of Parliamentary representation, why was the Independent Group given the air? If on the number of candidates in the field, why did Labour with 77 candidates receive 11 nights, National with 77 candidates eight, and Democratic Soldier Labour with 54 candidates one night? The candidate pointed out that most of the Democratic Labour candidates were young married men and women with young families of New Zealanders, and since it was the inherent urge of every parent to make the way of life more congenial for the child, it followed that the party’s first and paramount concern would be the building of a future moulded on the principle of peace and plenty for all. Articles in the journals the Standard and the People’s Voice regarding the financial backing of his party by reactionaries were described by Mr Burke as hysterical outbursts. He stressed that his was the only p rty of any importance that was carrying the banner of monetary reform, and it was unlikely that any reactionary group was behind it. Each candidate stood on his own feet.