COAL FROM NEWCASTLE

Otago Witness, Issue 4029, 2 June 1931, Page 10

COAL FROM NEWCASTLE

SUPPLIES FOR RAILWAYS PROTEST BY MINEWORKERS. WELLINGTON, May 25. A deputation representing the United Mineworkers Federation and the Alliance of Labour protested to the Prime Minister (Mr G. W. Forbes) against the importation of Australian coal while the New Zealand mines were not working full time and many miners were idle or only intermittently employed. Mr M‘Laglen (secretary of the federation) said that several vessels, aggregating over 20,000 tons, had left for Australia recently and would arrive within the next week. Mr Smeaton (president of the federation) said it appeared to him that the Government was importing coal to store it against possible direct action by the miners in respect to the wage reduc-. tion. Mr J. Roberts said that the Government should have got the miners together and discussed the matter with them. Mr Forbes stated that coal was being imported to build up the Railways Department’s reserve stocks. Mr Forbes said that the Minister of Railways (Mr W. A. Veitch), who was absent' from Wellington, had written stating that there was nothing sinister behind the decision to import Newcastle coal. There was a shortage on the railway reserves and increased supplies of suitable New Zealand coal had been ordered. Unfortunately for reasons unknown to him the New Zealand mines had been unable to overtake the shortage. Accordingly, as a matter of ordinary business prudence he was compelled to place an order in Australia, otherwise a comparative return to prosperity might leave the department unable to carry on. He had no intention of departing from the policy of using New Zealand coal. He quoted figures showing the standing orders to several mines which were delivering amounts-much below the orders. Mr Roberts said the matter called for an immediate investigation as to whether the mines could supply the coal. Mr Forbes said that Mr Veitch would make a statement when he returned to Wellington. Mr Forbes said the Railways Department had to maintain reserve supplies in case of emergency and the more wild talk was indulged in about direct action the more necessity there was to have reserves. The railways had always had reserves, but lately they had fallen much lower than they should be. He did not want to import coal unnecessarily. The present Government had done more in the way of buying New Zealand coal than any other Government had done. Only on occasions such as the present -when reserves were running down were importations made, and when statements were being made that something was likely to happen naturally the department got alarmed. The procedure being followed was only prudent business, and ’ there was no special significance in it.