COALING THE RAILWAYS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1893, 30 October 1913, Page 5

COALING THE RAILWAYS.

LOCAL SUPPLIES INADEQUATE. The Minister of Railways was asked by Mr. P. C. Webb in the House of Representatives yesterday whether, in view of the fact that -there are coalmines on the' West Coast, principally in the Bullor district, working from two to four days only per week owing to slackness of trade, whilst the Government are importing supplies of coal from Australia, the Government will undertake in future to place all orders for coal with the mines in tho Dominion, thereby encouraging local industry and ensuring to hundreds of men a living wage. Mr; Herries replied: _ The Government is desirous of utilising New Zealand coals for railway purposes wherever it is practicable to* do so. In the past, however, considerable difficulties have been experienced in obtaining full supplies of coal from the West Coast, consequently the Government has been compelled to augment its supplies by importing coal, as it is most essential that the Railway Department should be kept fully stocked with coals so as to be able to efficiently carry out its functions as a State enterprise. _ Both Mr. Webb and Mr. Colvin declared that the New Zealand mines woro> working at less than full timo. In a further reference -to the subject, Mr. Herries said that all he could say was that if he could get all his contracts fulfilled by the local mines he would be very glad to purchase from them. #At the present time the State coal-mine, tho Blackball mine, and others were in arrears in their contracts with the Railwav Department. Sir. Webb; There is something radically wrong. ' . ' Mr. Herries said that he could not help that. He had no desire to go past the local mines, but at present ho could not get all the ' supplies he . wanted from them. His Department was prepared to take all the local coal that it could get Possibly when the new State mine was in.full working order it might be able to-supply the requirements of the .Railways Department. On coming into office he found that there were numerous orders foT New South Wales (Newcastle) coal, and it had been necessary to continue these orders • so as to avoid going short.