GAS SHORTAGE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 217, 13 September 1944, Page 6

GAS SHORTAGE

RESTRICTED SUPPLY

OPERATING FROM TO-NIGHT

The likelihood of a complete shutdown in the supply of gas at the end of the week owing to a shortage of coal was announced to-day by Mr. R. Worley, general manager of the Auckland Gas Company, Limited, j In order to meet the position the company is imposing a restricted supply as from this evening, and is prohibiting the use of gas for industrial purposes. Domestic consumers and x-estau-rants and hotels will in the meantime have gas available from 6.30 to 5.30 a.m., noon to 1.30 p.m., and 4.30 to 7.30 p.m. Gas for industrial use will not be available after 7 p.m. to-day. Complaint To Mr. Fraser The following telegrams was seat to-day to the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, by the chairman of directors of the gas company, Mr. V. J. Larner:— "I consider you should be informed that the gas company is facing a complete shutdown at the end of this week, due entirely to the shortage of coal. I understand the only reserve stocks remaining in Auckland are at the railway dump which the railway refuses to release. For your information, much of the coal supplied to the gas company for a considerable time past has been wet and deficient in gasmaking qualities. In fact, our conclusion is that any tiling that is black is good enough for the gas industry, and the better grades of coal are diverted into other channels. Our domestic consumers have been outrageously treated by the constant restrictions and stoppages compulsorily forced upon them during the last six months, to say nothing of the loss and inconvenience suffered by the industrial consumers. -Given reasonable reserves of suitable coal instead of the hand-to-mouth supplies that have prevailed in the past, the gas company is in a position to meet all demands made upon it by its consumers." Reduced Output "The coal we have got left, if it was good, would provide an uninterrupted supply till Friday night," said Mr. Worley this afternoon. However, the quality was poor, with the result that the output would be below normal for the quantity. Owing to the inferior quality of coal, the make, up to 7 a.m. to-day, totalled 2,935,000 cubic feet, as against 3,700,000 feet for the same day last week and 3,800,000 feet for the preceding week. "Under such conditions," said Mr. Worley, "the best we can do is to provide a restricted supply solely for domestic consumers, including restaurants. The public would have been given ■ longer warning but for the fact that we have been buoyed up by false hopes from the Mines Department as to future arrivals of coal." ... '

Mr. Worley pointed out that the ICiwitea, with 1750 tons of coal, was due in Auckland last Sunday, but the vessel has been bar-bound on the West Coast for a week. At present there were no immediate prospects of this ship, among others,' clearing port.