A COAL FAMINE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 183, 2 August 1923, Page 8

A COAL FAMINE.

MR. ISITTS DISMAL PICTURE. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. It the eloquence of the member for Chrfstchurch North can move mountains it should secure a good supply of coal for Christchurch. Mr. L. M. leitt put an urgent question to the Premier in the Houee to-day on the "above subject, in «uch terms that legislators could not help feeling sympathetic (Announcing his question as ode of extreme urgency, Mr. Jaitt asked the House to picture Chrtetchurch merchants sitting in their offices, shivering, because they failed to get even half a bag of coal. But still worse was the position ofa family who were obliged to spend Sunday in the kitchen, the only place in which they could afford to have a small fire. If this wag the plight of Well-to-do people, he argued, what must be the position of the poorer residents, and lie hoped the Prime Minister would do something to help Chrfrtchurch in its emergency. The Prime (Minister was able to aisur* liia anxious and eloquent questioner that only a few hours before he had consulted the Minister for Railways on the subject of getting coal supplies through the Otira tunnel for Cbrietchurch, and that he found everything would be done to meet the emergency.