COAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1920, Page 5

COAL.

THE POSITION EASIER, fctiqjMmo MEN TO RESUME, IPPCTB TO BE DISCUSSED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The Pukemiro miners' dispute is likely to end to-morrow. The secretary of the Coal-mine Owners' Association to-day forwarded a telegram to tie Pukemiro Coal Company to the effect that the association had made arrangements with the New Zealand Miners' Federation that if work is resumed by the miners to-morrow the Disputes Committee will meet tomorrow afternoon to consider the matter in dispute. The company acocrdingly was asked fo make arrangements for the resumption of work at the mine. A representative of the company states that it is doubtful if matters would be in, readiness for a commencement of work J to-morrow. During the cessation' of work I a considerable amount of repairs had j been carried out at the mine, and some were not completed. A.shortage of en-gine-drivers was also anticipated. Tho company, therefore, might have some difficulty in starting work at such short notice. Replying to a wire from the Coalowners' Association, the company expressed disappointment at the decision Reached, and adds: "It is with reluctance that we are giving instructions to resume work." SUPPLIES WILL BE SLOWi DIFFICULTIES IN AUSTRALIA. (By Wire.—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night The eoal situation generally is made easier by the announcement that the Pukemiro miners will resume work tomorrow morning, pending the consideration of their dispute by the National Disputes Committee. The shortage of coal in the northern districts is reported to be acute, however, and even if all the mines are worked without interruption some time must elapse before the special difficulties | arising from the recent stoppages are o/ercome. Shipments of coal from Australia are proceeding at a fairly satisfactory pace. The chief difficulty at present seems to be the loading of the available ships. The Australian waterside workers are confining work to certain hours of the day, and ships are unable to get their cargoes as fast as the coal is available. This trouble is accentuated as far as New Zealand is joncerned by the keen demand for coal within the Commonwealth. REMEDIES SUGGESTED. MORE PRODUCTION URGED. HOPE IN ELECTRIC POWER. Auckland, Lest Night. The report of the special committee appointed at the last meeting of the City Council to go into the matter of of the present coal shortage and its effect upon the community, was considered and adopted at a special meeting of the Council. The report will be forwarded to the Government for consideration. The following comment and recommendations were made with a view to remedying present conditions, and overcoming for the future, the serious inconvenience and heavy los 3 imposed, not only upon the City Council, but upon the whole of the community, by reason of the acute shortage of coal:— (1) That the coal resources of the Dominion are considerable, and without doubt sufficient to meet the country's requirements for generations hence, provided that the industry is developed sufficiently, and coal rendered available, both for industries and for household purposes. No less a quantity thani 455,494 tons of coal was imported last year, and about 275,000 tons was exported, both imports and exports being almost entirely bituminous coal. The policy of heavy importations is unsound, and should be superseded by increased local production. (2) That the Government be urged to forthwith provide sufficient labor for the immediate adequate development of the Dominion coal resources by methods at the disposal of the Government, and either assist or initiate the opening up of new fields awaiting development in both islands. In 1914, there were in the New Zealand mines, 4734 coal miners, while in .1919 there were only 3994. \ (3) That an efficient system of distribution should be introduced, whereby the present waste of bituminous coal, so urgently needed for specific industries, should be avoided, and a sufficient quantity of brown or lignite coal rendered available, thus removing the necessity for continued operations of overseas coal at high costs and extreme freights. (4) That the Government be strongly urged to form a New Zealand Coal Board, to be constituted in accordance with the needs of the industry, and vested with powers to secure an effective control of, and efficient working in the urines, the Board to be empowered to appoint subsidiary boards in producing centres to adjust local disputes and generally carry out the policy of the board. The board should produce the necessary amendments to present practices, and establish conditions in tho industry compatible with modern standards. (5) That in view of the serious position, and under the best conditions the difficulties of mining and the cost of coal, the Government be specially urged to expedite with the greatest speed the development of the principal hydroelectric power schemes with the object of rendering th e output of current available over wide areas. (6) That the Government be requested to introduce such legislation as will, as far as possible, free industries from incessant interruptions from trivia! causes as are now in evidence throughout the