WILL NATIONALISATION PRODUCE BRTAIN'S COAL?

Chronicle (Levin), 9 January 1947, Page 5

WILL NATIONALISATION PRODUCE BRTAIN'S COAL?

Rof'civod Wodncsduv, 7 p.m. LON DON, J.irr. 7. * Lnsf vear, xvlicn the Hmtse of Gommons passed the Bill authorising the nationalisation of the i-oal inines, [.alton!1 -members triuinphantlv sang ''The 1'ed Flag" as they passed through the divisiou lobbies. Last \veek savv the hoisting of the National Coal Board's royal bliie flag with the initials "N.G.B. " in white. Many celebraf ions were held on New Vear's Day, but that at Durham was delayed until the weekend, when Lord Hymlfey, chairman of the board, and. Ihe Minister of Fuel (Mr. rthinwell ) marched with the miners from the Miners ' Hall "to the pithead at Murton eollieries, where the flag was unfurled. With reports that, because of coal shortages, motor car works and briek works might have to close down, and with the aniiouneemerit that 10 expresses and 173 suburban and provincial trains will be cancelled this week to save coal and release locomotives for freight.traffic, the New Year has' begun with'the publ.ic aenfely realising the nation need for coal. . ** ;; AU-thjs stjlLaijds up f ac t- tljaf Br-itaan tfas kor • 'en ( i u gh"' to til , % w'h i cjt e r way tlie subject is regarded. Lord Hyndley has declared that the board's short-term target is 200, 000, 000 tons a year, which "should not prove too ainbitious, and should be aehieved with a reasonable ainount of reorganisation. " 'J'he board hopes that the modernisation of the- pits, together -with programmes in welfare training and edu cation, will assist to secure a steady flow of recruits to the mines. The nation as a whole is now waiting to see whether the nationalisation of the mincs, which has been urged l'or 40 years, is going to have the desired re sult. If not, the eountry as a whole and the Government in particular havo an anxious timo ahead.