COAL POSITION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 June 1943, Page 3

COAL POSITION

INCREASED DEMAND FOR INDUSTRY AND MILITARY PURPOSES. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Figures showing the increased demand for coal for industrial and military purposes were given by the Minister of Mines, Mr Webb, in reply to an urgent question asked by Mrs Stewart (Government. Wellington West). Mrs Stewart, who referred to the shortage of domestic coal in Wellington at present, asked if there was any prospect of an immediate improvement in the supply to meet the urgent needs of the people. The Minister said that since 1926 the following increases in the consumption of coal had taken place: Gas. 30 per cent; electric power, 86 per cent; railways, 50 per cent; butter and cheese factories, 13 per cent; meat freezing. 44 per cent; lime and cement. 61 per cent; miscellaneous industries, 83 per cent. In addition there was now a demand for approximately 100,000 tons of coal for military camps,' hospitals and instituions. Though it was estimated that the peak of consumption by the Railways Department was reached last year, the facts showed that the railways were using nearly 2000 tons more each week. The heavy demand for coal by the railways and military forces seriously affected the quantities of coal available for domestic purposes. The new ,demand of 100,000 tons for the New Zealand and U.S.A, camps, hospitals, etc., was an additional strain upon the industry. “The difficulty in getting coal and transport from Australia is great, while the bad working conditions of the Westport and Grey harbours have been responsible for the loss of over 30,000 tons of coal since Christmas,” said Mr Webb. “Indeed, it is not so much a matter of coal production row as that of transport. Endeavours are being made to improve the river bars to enable ships to come out fully loaded. If the transport arrangements can be sufficiently advanced to enable the coal now hewed by the miners to be taken from the bins, an early improvement in the coal situation can reasonably be expected.”