THE COAL PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 219, 10 June 1919, Page 6

THE COAL PROBLEM

| " BIG REPORT DELAYED . 1 . ' FIREWOOD FOR WELLINGTON it ' - '' The-report on coal production mid di<tribution prepared some time ago by tlto Board of-'l'rade was to harcwpome before Cabinet for, consideration .yesterday, ami it was expected that tho .report would be ../.released for publication at the conclusion -.tif the meeting, if it was to be released «>'ak»aU. Witappears, however, that tho '-'two-'ldJulcrs of t'lic Government now abroad had been .asked for their opinions by eablo as to whether the report ought to be published or not. A t'eply had been received from-Sir Joseph Ward, but not from Mr. Mnssey, and in the meantimo the decision of tho Govj ornment is held up. It" is understood I that the report does suggest a policy to p "bo followed by tho Government, and for j this reason tho-question of whether the ; report shall or shall not bo published is ! important. Tho policy suggestions nro not proposals whicli might help us out of our present plight, but the Board of Trade suggests that in th; course of a little time our coal difficulties would disappear if the policy outlined were adopted. • Cabinet considered also the present coal situation, but came to no new decisions. The present position is that tho j iHon. A.-M. Myers is absolutely in chargo ; of coal distribution, and lie has the snpI port'.'of . ,tho Government in taking all ! possible means to increaso supplies, and I 'to make tho best use of stocks available, j As.to-.tho secondary.questions of reduc- ' in? railway running or of .reducing mum- | cipal transport or lighting services, the j Government. has come to 110 decisions. The railways are to run "while they can : get coal, and when the supplies fail the running will have to be reduced. So j . also with other services. Mr. .Myers can 1 -\givo no undertaking that there wijl ! bo enough coal for everybody, and ' if | supplies fail tho municipal and other i. service? will have to be reduced. I The. plight of the country is extremely, j serious.

Steps aro boing taken by the government, through the machinery of the State Coal Department, to obtain supplies of firewood for Wellington, whore it is considered. that household fuel is most urgently required..