Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, AUGUST 11th, 1919. DOMESTIC AFFAIRS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 August 1919, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, AUGUST 11th, 1919. DOMESTIC AFFAIRS.

5 Howkvbb brief the session to be opened this month is intended to he, it i will be necessary for Parliament to devote urgent attention to presssing domestic affairs. Members will want to know all about the railway “cut”, and the coal shortage, and what amount of statesmanship is beilig exercised to deal with the critical situation. The country cannot go on week after week with tho present dislocation of trade and intercourse. Such a plight will create financial stringency. Public and private interests arc alike affected, and the whole situation and outlook could not be more serious. Mr McVilly continues to quote official figures as to coal stocks, which must be accepted, but be tells us nothing of what is j being done to retrieve tile position^nd j bring a regular supply of coal back to normal Requirements. There appears to he a considerable quantity of coal on the firry wharf, for instance, and on Saturday the berthage was empty. e.\eept for one boat loading timber for Lyttelton. It is being said, too, in the ' nothern town that on tho 31st July be- j

tween Greymouth and Rcefton, tliero were 6,000 tons of coal in stock, bins and trucks. A large proportion of that is available for export, and apparently the Government do mot make any special effort to get the coal away to places where it is required. When men wero required, the Government very properly did not hesitate to conscript them. Now the bottoms are wanted for marine transport, ally not commandeer the ships, and so relievo the •situation." There is a limit to the storage capacity of coal at Greymoutu, both in regard to bins and trucks, and without regular shipping, a congestion will arise, and the miners will be idled, and production cease for the time. The situation seems to call for a little practcal attention in keeping with the emergency of the occasion, or the present deadlock in railway transport will grow more and more acute. Now that the Premier and Minister of Finance are here they must realise the "direct loss the country is suffering through the railway prohibition and the country will look for a practical lead from them in grappling with the situation. Apart from the dislocation of trade and industry and the holding up of works, the country is losing revenue urgently required for the maintenance of its railway lines. The loss must be considerable, and it would appear that the expense in running the trains is very little, if at all, reduced. The staffs and plant are kept up to normal requirements, the trains cut off appeal be compensated for by the leisurely wav the remainder of the trains complete their journeys. On the East Coast is takes two days to perform what was accomplished previously in one day, so that the net saving seems to be rather problematical. There is the feeling abroad that the position is not being grappled with as efficiently as possible, and those in control have not the confidence of the general public. If that confidence is to be restored an explicit statement must be forthcoming from the Premier with some practical indication of what is being done to reinedv the unfortunate situatiqn.