COAL POSITION IN BRITAIN

Southland Times, Issue 24869, 8 October 1942, Page 5

COAL POSITION IN BRITAIN

People to Make Sacrifices (8.0.W.) RUGBY, October 6. When the House of Commons resumed toe discussion on toe coal position today the majority of speakers urged toe Government to recall miners from toe forces and industry, taking toe view that it was not a question of reducing consumption, but of increasing production in order to bridge toe estimated gap of 11,000,000 tons between production and consumption. Winding up toe debate, toe Lord President of toe Council, Sir John Anderson, said it was quite false to assume that there existed today a large untapped reserve of miners in toe services or in industry, although since 1941 several thousand former miners had gone back to toe pits. The most that could be released now for toe mmes, even including those from toe field army, was 3000 or 4000. The principle of equal sacrifices would have to apply. Battle casualties would have to be met as they occurred by drawing even upon reserves of vital industry, such as toe aircraft industry. . . Sir John Anderson said agriculture had recently relinquished 10,000 men though toe Government had been told that it would be impossible.