THE COAL CUT.

Taihape Daily Times, 19 July 1919, Page 5

THE COAL CUT.

ANOTHER PASSENGER u REDUCTION. V INCREASED GOODS ‘ TRAFFIC. WELLINGTON July 17. Through passenger traffic on’ the railways Will be further reduced_ Somo hope of slight improvement in goons transit was given by the Minister of Railways to a deputarion from 'Pal- - North, which for two hours discussed the coal situation" with Sir James Allen and the Hons. I-lerries, MacDonald, and Myers. The deputationists particularly‘ urged the oGv—ernment to indicate, if possible the ‘duration of the railway out so as to enable employers to carry on in the ;hODe Of aV'oiding discharges of hands. i “We are emphatically of opinion }that the Government should make further restrictions in the passenger ti-aflfic,” said Mr. Nash {Mayor of Palmerston). “People can afford to stay at home, but the supply of goods {is essential!’

Mr. Field (member for Otaki) sup! ported this suggestion. He added| that it was quite useless, at this’stage to blame the Government, but he wish—l ed point out that coastal “s‘£eamel-S appeared to have plenty of coal, and that the Governor-General had been enjoying _a pleasant trip-in the Smith Sea Islands. using up a good deal of coal_ He urged the Government to help sawmillers to keep going by financing them to‘stack timber at mills. Other speakers dealt with the necessity for supplying timber for soldiers? dwellings, also to complete buildings, particularly extensions to dairy factories, and to allow studstoek to be carried on me railways, as Waikato and other parts» of -the Auckland district largely\ depended »on the Manawatu for stud‘ -stock. »A suggestion was made that "supplies of Waikato coal going .ill't.o tilllbel' districts should -be - prohibited, as wood ‘could ‘be used.‘ - M -

FURTHER PASSENGER -

James Allen; announcing a further restriction‘ of passenger traffic, said’ when "the Minister of Railways first .p‘ropo’sed the " railway “cut” he Was of opinion that the inconvenience imposed on passengers would be so great as to restrict traflic, but this was not so; consequently the Governnient would limit passengre traffic to essential travcning, and utilise any ‘saving for the carriage of goods. RAILWAY COAL STOCKS. The Ministe: of Railways announced that the present. railway stock of coal is 8,000 tons. “We are,” he said, “goil;_,‘ to put on only a certain number of ‘passenger carriages and yyill_ onl‘y..-.-arry those -obliged to tl'aVe]:.'V \VeyWon"t carry ‘joy I'idel'S..”‘ ‘VA; 'D;eplltatiOl_liStl Do you call racegoers ,e_ss.elltial ? b ‘ -Mrs..tHerries: We won’t put on extra accornuloclatioii, for them, If people have I‘elaf_i()l_ls dyillg_ =_in Christchurch about the seColldyy'eck in Augusf, we will have to carry them to the funeral. (Laughter). * Referring to the use of coal for the special steamer service, between Wellington and Auckland, the Minister declared that expresses were no more able to run on bunker coal than they Collld4;§'ly. All the coal the Pateena used could not takean express beyond Palmerston as it would all blow up the engine chimney. . PROSPECT OF RELIEF.

As for prospects of alleviating the cut, the Minister said: “The prospects are a little beter than when the cut was made. and towards the end of the month we may Be able to do :1 little more in tlie way of taking goods, but everything depends on what will happen in Australia. It will be Ja. diifieult matter to know wliat: to open up on first, and we will be glad to get. the advice of Chambers of Commerce up in Waikato. What will have to be first taekled is the necessities of the dairying infiilstry. Then there is the question of providing timber for soldiers’ homes and ullcomDle'Cod bufildings. I (lon’t know yet if we can realise our hope to carry more at -the end of the month; but it i 5 the best plan to restrict passenger and 1101; goods tl'affiC'.” M Voices: Quite right! A I

The Minister: rm glad to find the deputation agrees. We may be able than to solve difficulties regarding stud stock, timber ant: max in dairying districts, The first matfer to be attended to is cement for factories, especially in the Waikato, Where big alterations are being made for_ the coming season.