COAL SUPPLIES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 200, 19 May 1919, Page 4

COAL SUPPLIES

OUTPUT AND IMPORTATIONS.

The Hon. Arthur Myers, Minister in Chvgo of Coal Distribution, stated on Saturday that he had now to hand the returns showing compaction of.outputs and importations for the iirst four mouths of this year as compered with the similar period of 1918. "The outstanding features of the returns," said Mr. Myers, "are that the- combined outputs and importations show a decrease for tho period of 4761 tons, the figures being 1)71,5-15 tons against 666,784. tons. Taking the importations separately, however, an incre<i«o of 52,578 tons is shown, the figures being 74,011 and 126.559 tons respectively. "The output for the Now Zealand iniitfs for the same period has decreased by 57,339 tons, the figures in this connection being 597,534 tons, as against 540,195 tons. "The most unsatisfactory feature :s the falling output of the West Coast mines. Taking the month of April, 1819, as compared with that month last year, a falling off of 24,498 tons has occurred, so that as far as the West Coast mines are concerned wo aro drifting from bad to worse.. "It is obvious, therefore, ,, concluded Mr. Myers, "that had it not been for the relatively large increases in importations for the four months of this .*ear, and the valuable assistance rendered to mo by tho various coal trade committees throughout the.Dominion in connection with the equitable allocation of the available supplies, a serious position as far as industries and public wwvices are concerned, would undoubtedly havo been reached."