BRITISH ECONOMY DEPENDS ON COAL

Chronicle (Levin), 26 September 1946, Page 5

BRITISH ECONOMY DEPENDS ON COAL

(Special Correspondent.) T /WTT l/YV .. O i

u uua, w-f". Appealing to niinors to naike an eil'ort to iinprove tlie output of the mines, Lord Ilyndiey, chairman of the Coal Boanl, tohi a meeting at Bolton that it was no use talking about British coal experts, hecause tliese had prac-th-ally ceased, and ihe eountrv had liardly enough coal to keep the wheels t iirning at honie. "Tlie nation is heading for bankruptcy," said Mr. Arthur Horner, secretary of the National Unioii of Mine Workers, addressing another meeting of rniners at Birniingiiam. " Unless we ean solve the coal problem, tlie wliole st ructure of British econoniy must fail. That is a responsibility wiiich rests 011 the tnining commuuity. A six per cent. inerease in the average montlily output would virtually close the gap between production and consumption whicli tlireatened Britain iu tlie coming winter, said Mr. llugh (Jaitskell, Parliamentary Becretary to tlie Ministry of Euel and Power, speaking at Blidworth. Jf', apart from siekness, every inan worked five full sliifts a week, there would he tio need to worry, but unfortunately a minority was not doing this and was liolding up the advance to stili better conditions in indtistry.