RAILWAY COAL STOCKS DURING STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 35, 5 November 1942, Page 6

RAILWAY COAL STOCKS DURING STRIKE

Reply To Dr. Mazengarb

A statement by Dr. O. C. Mazengarb about coal stocks during the Huntly strike, made in his address to National Party supporters in Wellington last week, was replied to by the General Manager of Hallways, Mr. E. Casey, yesterday. Dr. Mazengarb said he “did not 'believe that the coal stocks were as bad as the Ministers were trying to make out.”

“I desire to point out,” said Mr. Casey, “that the position of the Railway Department coal stocks was set out fully in the article published in ‘The Dominion’ on September 13, .1942, and signed by the Minister of Railways, Mr. Semple, and by myself in my official capacity as General Manager. The figures concerning railway coal stocks were supplied by me from the official records of the department. I personally guaranteed their accuracy and th.it guarantee still holds good. “I am not interested in any political aspect of the situation, but as my integrity as a Government officer is apparently involved, I feel that in justice to myself I should state that as far as railway coal stocks and the prospective effect of the strike on railway operations were concerned, the statement I referred to above merely set out the facts Xvithout in any way exaggerating the position.”