COAL SHORTAGE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 128, 30 April 1940, Page 8

COAL SHORTAGE

SERIOUS SITUATION. POSITION OF RAILWAYS. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, April 28 While frankly admitting that the shortage of coal supplies was serious, the Minister of Railways (Hon. D. G. Sullivan) said to-day he felt sure that every effort would be put forward by both miners and mine-owners to avoid such a drastic possibility as the curtailment of railway services because of reduced supplies. Recent statements by the Minister of Mines (Hon. P. C. Webb) about the shortage of coal and the possibility of curtailment of railway services unless the position of tho supply improved were brought to Mr fchnlivan’s attention. “1 have been worried over the coal stocks for some time and have kept the Minister of Alines informed of the position, especially in regard to the reduction of the reserve stocks of the railways and the urgent need that existed for sufficient supplies to rebuild those stocks,” said Mr Sullivan. He was sure that his colleague was doing his very best to meet the position whicli, frankly, was quite serious. The difficulty had been aggravated by floods, which had reduced the serviceability of tho Stratford-Okahukura line and greatly interfered with the exchange of trucks between Auckland and the west coast portion, of the North Island and, incidentally, the whole of the traffic which had to traverse the Alain Trunk line between Auckland and Alarton. In the past, this had caused some delay in the supply of trucks to the mines in the Waikato district. As Alinister, ho and Air E. Casey (General Alanager of Railways) had given constant attention to that aspect of the troublo and, realising that a shortage of coal would mean interference of a grave kind with all the business of the country, they had given instructions that coal was to receive preference over less vital needs. That was being done. Wagon supply, however, was only one feature ot the coal problem. The coal industry was under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Alines, and Air Webb would leave no stone unturned to increase production and to render unnecessary, Air Sullivan hoped, any such drastic thing as curtailment of railway services. Every effort would be made to avoid that, said the Alinister.