SHORTAGE OF COAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 January 1920, Page 4

SHORTAGE OF COAL.

RAILWAY "CUT" SUGGESTED. OPPOSED BY THE MINISTER. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. A suggestion has been made in Christchurch that the Government should begin to economise in coal by cutting down the railway services in urder that coal may be released for private industries. It was alleged the Government was storing up huge reserves of coal to the detriment of other people in dire need of fuel for industrial and domestic purposes. These suggestions were submitted to the Minister for Railways to-day. Mr. Ma9sey said the railways must have a sufficient supply of coal in hand to make secure the running of services without intervention. Stocks, when mere figures were given, might seem big, but when it was remembered that for the month from December 20 to January 20 the consumption of coal by the railways was at. the rate of ten thousand tons it would be clear that the railways were not safe if big stocks were not held. During these weeks there had not only been immense holiday traffic, but these had been the busiest weeks of the year in ordinary freight traffic. In the carriage of the produce of the country to the ports he considered the railways were the most important industry in the country and need of the railways for coal was second only to that of freezing works, which must have coal to keep their machinery going. If the railways stopped running, every industry in the country would suffer immediately. Mr. Massey added that he did not consider holiday traffic should be stopped if it were possible to keep it going. People had been denied the privilege of travel at the holiday season for five years and he thought they were entitled to an opportunity of cheaper travel this vear if it could be done at all.