COAL SUPPLIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 April 1940, Page 6

COAL SUPPLIES

SHORTAGE IN NEW ZEALAND MAY MEAN RESTRICTION OF RAIL SERVICES. 1 EFFORTS TO ENSURE EXTRA PRODUCTION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH. This Day. One. of the first repercussions of a shortage of coal supplies in New , Zealand would be a restricted rail-

j way service.—This statement was ’ made by the Minister of Mines (Mr Webb) today, when commenting on conditions existing in the coal industry. Mr Webb said the Government would deplore the necessity to curtail the railway service, , but if coal supplies were not avail- ■ able it would have no alternative. Mr Webb stated that investigations were being made to ascertain the speediest way in which extra coal could be produced to meet immediate requirements. When a report on these investigations had been received, tjio Government would not hesitate io take whatever action was deemed wise to rut the recommendations into effect. On his- return to Wellington he intended to confer with representatives of the mine owners and mine workers, to review the general conditions pre-

vailing in the industry. At the conclusion of this conference recommendations would be submitted to the Government for the enforcement of better co-ordination in the industry. Mr Webb added that the situation in legat’d to supplies in the North Island | was worse than in the South, and un-i less shipping conditions were favourable from South Island West Coast ports there was a real possibility of a I shortage of bituminous supplies there which would be serious for the railways. In reply to a question. Mr Webb said the Government had followed the previous Government’s policy of not granting leases of new areas. This was done to prevent uneconomic development. but in light of present-day facts the policy must be reviewed and the Government was determined that sufficient mines would be opened to main- ; tain supplies. . i