THE COAL QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 April 1919, Page 4

THE COAL QUESTION.

The approach of the winter months, when the demand for coal is always greater than at any other season of the year, emphasises the questions of supply and price. According to a statement made on Tuesday by the Hon. vV. D. S. Mac Donald, he expects to receive the full report of the Board of Trade on this matter in the course of a week or two. An interim report has already been made concerning the board's inquiries, and the Minister says that from the general character of that report it can be gathered there can be very little reduction in price unless improvements are made in shipping, screening and distribution. It will be interesting to' [ watch the steps (if any) taken by the | Government to bring about the improvements mer'ioned, for it is extremely hard on the public to be penalised for the want of action to remedy the existing unsatisfactory conditions. The board has been investigating this coal question for months, and yet the cold ' nights are upon us before their renorl

is presented. Meanwhile, supplies Lave become shorter than evar and are doled ■ out by the retailers at a sack or two J at a time. In a letter to the New Zealand Times, Mr. J. T. M, Horksby, , M.P., states that after his own inquiries, ; he is driven to the conclusion that our coal shortage has been induced by a : deliberate policy of protecting certain vested interests. The coal )a available on the West Coast, and all that is needed is initiative and the will to do. Both are, apparently, far from the Government. Mr. Hornsby adds: "The people of this country do not know of the iniquities which exist in connection with coal mining. We cry aloud and condemn the miners for going on strike. Why do we not expose the absolutely abominable condition of things at 'Burnett's face'? The whole thing is a perfect scandal, but the Government does nothing." Taranaki has been ignored by the Government in the matter of coal. We are suffering from a coal famine in the midst of plenty, yet no efforts are made to properly exploit and place on the market the vast quantity of easily accessible coal that can be obtained at the Mokau, the Tangarakati and the Ohura. The Dominion possesses enormous supplies of coal, yet this very essential commodity is so scarce that the public suffer. Wcuild that a leader with the dynamic force of Mr. Lloyd George could be found to put an end to this inactive policy of the Government. The cost of living keeps rising in all directions, and every increase in wages is passed on to the consumer. The absence 01 nutiative and the will to do is so conspicuous in the present Ministry that it is hopeless to expect any alleviation while it exists. Nothing but a bold poliey of organisation and distribution will bring relief. A supply of coal at the lowest possible . price is essential to the welfare of the community and it should be one of the . first duties of the Government to open up the coalfields in the Dominion and provide the necessary means for distri- , buting the output. At present the i country is being starved as a consequence of the foolish policy of a big section of the miners and the incompetence of the Cabinet to do its mani--1 fest duty. Truly we are a long suffering people.