The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE MONDAY, MARCH 12, 1917. A COMING COAL FAMINE.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 12 March 1917, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

MONDAY, MARCH 12, 1917. A COMING COAL FAMINE.

(With which is incorporated The Taihapo Post and Waimarino News).

Before winter is upon us it seems there is some need for approaching the authorities with respect to the country’s coal supply. Coalmine owners have been issuing letters to their customers for months, stating that it was quite impracticable to supply orders. They say the Government has made heavy call upon the coal that is mined, in fact, what the Government doesn’t take is all required for essential industries, such as dairy factories and freezing- works. Some mines have already booked up orders whicn cannot be filled for at least three months. No aoubiT the coal-owners are writing what is perfectly true; we should not like to accuse them of cornering their coal and of creating a scare just for the purpose of securing larger profits at the expense of the masses of the people. Only a few weeks ago the Minister of Mines made a statement that was published in papers throughout New Zealand to the effect that the output of coal during the past year constituted a record. Has the demand for coal been greater than ordinarily during the past year, and, if so, did that increase warrant coal prices being raised, and does it synchronise with the statement of mine-owners that their product is booked for three months ahead? Mine-owners state that the cause of

the shortage is the want of mining labour; men cannot be got, they say, to work the mines, and yet last year’s output was a record. How comes it that with the new r year there is a sudden shortage of labour. There is evidently a gap in the informafion between the Minister’s statement and that of the coal-owners which needs filling in before it becomes understandable by the ordinary coal consumer. It seems extraordinary that coalowners should be in the position they affirm. They say they cannot possibly guarantee to supply coal within three months from now; they are willing to book up orders on this understanding, but the same notifica-

tion also bears another very ominous statement: “All jirices are subject to alteration without notice.’’ As the Government does not seem disposed to take any notice ot the promise ot a coal tamiuei it will be most interesting to note from time to time just how coal prices move up. For, if orders cannot be supplied for three months after receipt, and us half-a----i dozen rises in price may take place while those orders are in -hand, there is going to b e very widespread calamity. Ordinary people cannot buy their coal three months before delivery as a matter of fact, and they arc faced with the possibility that coal will be unobtainable during the extreme winter season. This is, the mine-owners state, all owing to shortage of labour. We cannot quite understand such a change taking place in so short a time. Last year’s figures show a re-cord-output, and yet it is impossible to supply orders for coal now under three months from the time they are received. It seems a question the [authorities should commence to deal 'with at once. While there is ample coal for the getting, no private concern should be allowed to create a famine, no matter what the object or cause may be. There can be no doubt about a coal famine coming if mineowners are really serious in their statement that they cannot possibly fill orders under three months, and that during that tim e prices are subject to alteration without notie??: It seems incredible that the labour necessary to make the earth disgorge enough coal to keep the families of labour from suffering terrible privations, cannot be arranged. If coalowners have not reported the real situation to the Government it is their duty to do so, and if they have reported, then it is unbelievable that the Government will not immediately put in hand a scheme for furnishing the labour necessary to avoid a coal calamity. It is obvious that if the coal-owners correctly state the case their must be a very serious shortage. They claim that owing to shortage of mining labour the output is seriously reduced, and as available supplies have been hooked up for the next three months by essential industries, such as railways, dairy factories, and freezing companies, it is mpossible to fill ordinary orders. It looks very much as though we shall leave the coal in the bowels of mother earth for Sir George Grey’s unborn millions while we fieeze to death, unless the Government assumes a little of that paternal interest it was wont to exercise for the welfare of the helpless classes, thole w'ho have’ nothing to corner.