THE COAL CONUNDRUM

New Zealand Tablet, 10 July 1919, Page 19

THE COAL CONUNDRUM

In the following letter which appeared in the Timaru. Herald Dean Tubman has something worth considering to say concerning the coal troubles. Having had to read the newspapers during the war we are not as much surprised as the Dean at their being dumb when right speech is wanted: Sir, — Most reluctantly do I ask for a small space in your columns to utter a protest against the shameless and inhuman way we are being treated by our servants in the Government. What company would allow its management to treat its shareholders as we are beingtreated at present? Our poor people are starving and shivering owing to the mismanagement of our well-paid politicians. Want of boats can be no excuse for stopping the trains and depriving us of fuel in this part of the Dominion, since we have at our doors coalfields and there are large quantities of wood rotting between here and Rakaia. If the Government cannot induce men to enter the bowels of the earth and bring us out coal at the present wage, let them give as much as will attract plenty to offer their services. (I would like to see some of our politicians at the job.) Or again let them throw open the coalmines to the public and we will help ourselves sufficiently to boil the pot and warm our hands. S*»*,Vn-j.j -~-{..•-. ..;•.•■ ' "-■■ . - : "•••'-''■

As for shortage of shipping, why in the name of commonsense, allow the shipping rings to control the situation in this little island of ours, and to make huge fortunes at our.expense ? lam told that the money it cost to send our soldiers to the war would have purchased all the ships of the U.S.S. Company. What it cost recently to take a. senseless referendum, when we should'have had the long-deferred general election at the same time, surely would have paid for a boat or two to bring us coal and provisions and prevent New Zealanders from being stranded in Australia and elsewhere. If we lie down with our mouths closed, without even a protest, we deserve all and more than We are getting. It seems to . many (and I am of the number) that the present state of things is a political move before the elections,- to discredit Labor so that our artful masters may get into power again. : I am surprised that many of our newspapers are so silent. Can it be 'that they are controlled by the politicians?-I am, etc., H.H.ATPIOJO ''l* J. Tubman, "S.M. \ The Priory, Timaru, July 2,. 1919. \ v \lny.Q »ih l i