COAL SHORTAGE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10286, 22 May 1919, Page 5

COAL SHORTAGE

SAID TO BE DTTP TO LACK OF MINERS. The Secretary for Mines, Mr H. J. H, Blow, gave evidence before the Industries Committee yesterday regarding the carriage of coal from the West Coast, with particular reference to the point as to whether the coal could be more cheaply carried in State colliers. The witness attributed the present shortage of coal to the, lack of miners. Every mining district in the Dominion, he said, was short of miners. The Government did not construct branch railway lines to private mines. That had to ,be done by the companies con. cerned. Certain companies on the West Coast had asked for branch lines, but if they were provided not one ton of coal extra could be produced, the shortage of minors being the real difficulty. The State was prepared to sell or hire rails to the companies, but not a single application on those lines had been received.

Replying to Mr J. P. Luke, the witness said that very few now men took up the calling of miners in the Dominion. It was found to bo an hereditary occupation. Mr Hudson: Except in time of war. Mr Blow said that during the war coal mining was one of the exempted occupations and more new men did go into the mines then; but, in view of the high wages, it was surprising that more men had not done so. The number of minors in the Dominion was decreasing, though the conditions should be fairly attractive, young untrained and unskilled men engaged as truckers getting 18s to £1 per day. Living conditions at some mining townships wore not good, but at the State mines they were good, yet the State mine was 100 miners short. Something would have to be dono to attract more men to the mines, even if it meant increasing the present wages. Mr Blow said that he cojijd not answer questions as to why the Government had refused applications for help from Seddonvillo syndicates, and as to what course the Department of Alines had advised. The mines in question it was stated, could turn out 2000 tons of coal per week.