THE COAL CRISIS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 238, 2 July 1919, Page 8

THE COAL CRISIS

AN APPEAL TO MINERS

STRAIGHT TALK BY MINISTER

A statement in reply to criticisms of the Government regarding action or inaction oil the coal situation has been made by the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald. Tile Minister said that inevitably the Government was blamed for the present position. "I would lfl;e," said the Minister, "to reier particularly to Mr. J. Glover, secretary to the Coal, Gold, Shale, and Tunnel Workers' federation. 1 note that at a meeting of the City Council he made some strong statements in condemnation of the Government. But I would like ,to say that when the Government at.teinpl.ed to relieve 'the ccal shortage by securing more miners from .Australia, Mr. Glover wroto to the secretary of the Australian Coal Employees' federation in regard to the cablegram forwarded by the Acting-Prime Minister of New Zealand that some hundreds of miners were required in the Dominion, and Mr. Glover stated that thoro was no doubt that employment, could be found here for a number of conl miners, but the fact of. the shortage of minors was duo to the conditions under which tho miners wore compelled to work at 'ho present lime; also that there was a large number of unemployed here, but the Government had failed to persuade '.lie unemployed men to go into the coal mines. All that I can say in connection with his letter is that' it was not helpful m regard to the Government securing miners-

"The position is very clear so far as coal-mining in this country is concerned. The fact iis that the lack of coal at tho present lime is due fo the shortage of miners in practically all ihe best coal mines of the Dominion. Prior to the armistice being signed, all the mines were almost fully manned, and the output of coal was considerably greater than it is now. At the Stato mint Liverpool colliery upwards of 50" men could be employed, and their employment would mean an increased output of at least 250 tons per day. There is good housing accommodation, both at Runanga and Rewanui, for this number of men at tho present time. These' mines are wellequipped, and siro in a position to deal with a much-increased output. Then, at the company's mines at Denniston the output is considerably reduced through a shortage of miners. : It could safely be stated that the. output from this colliery has been reduced by nearly one-half since the Christmas holidays, and I am informed by the management that they have reasonable accommodation for the miners if the latter were only available.

"As to Hio other question, about the opening up of new mines, it is not new mines that are wanted, it is miners. The Mines Department is already devoting attention to the prospecting and opening out of new coal areas, and this activity will be proceeded with as quickly as the strength of the technical stall's will permit, and as the possibilities of development warrant, With regard to the housing question, and improved conditions generally for. miners, it is hoped, in co-operation with the mining companies, that we shall soon have under way measures to bring about the improvements desired. Many of the suggestions made in the Board of Trade's report' for the betterment of the miner's life and safeguarding his health will receive qarly and sympathetic consideration by the Government, and I hope thus . lo bring to the work of winning coal a greater number of men than we now have, so that wo shall bo able to take the utmost from our present coal resources, and push on with the development of new mining areas.'There is ample room' for the full employment of hundreds more miners than we can at present find. Until tho mines can be fully manned again, however, we must rely upon the. miners who arc now engaged to bring, us safely, through the fuel crisis. The difficulty experienced in regard lo imports makes the position doubly serious. With this in mind, I make an earnest appeal to tho miners to avoid all unnecessary stoppages, ,nud to make a record output in order that household supplies may be assured .during the coming trying months. "It has been alleged, I understand, by the 'man in the street,' " said the Minister, "that there is plenty of coal at the coal pprts on. Hie West Coast, and that vessels are available lo transport it. but the Government: won't nut the shins on because thev want to discredit Labour. That allegation is an absolute and deliberate lie. As a matter of fact, every possible ship that _we can get from every possible port in the world that we can coal wilh coal, we are loading with coal. All the colliers that we can get are .in use. The Union Comnnny has asked us to release the Kauri, which has bepn carrying wheat to New Zealand, for coal, and T have agreed to this for one trip. What has brought about the acute stage this past week is, of course, the fact that, the boats -were tied up at Greymouth for eipht days bv bad weather, -md everybody is acquaint"'! with the difficult position in Australia, in regard to the intercolonial boats."