GAS SUPPLY CUT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 242, 12 October 1945, Page 6

GAS SUPPLY CUT

WEEK-END POSITION

COAL SHORTAGE AGAIN

Because of a severe shortage of coal the Auckland City gas supply is to be rationed over the week-end. The restriction was imposed at 1.30 p.m. to-day and will continue till Monday' morning, with supply at mealtimes only. The general manager of the companv. Mr. R. Worley, said this morning "that the little coal left was not giving results, and the Kiwitea was not expected from Greymouth till to-morrow. Originally the Kiwitea was to have left Greymouth on Monday and arrive yesterday, but she was held up and did not leave till vesterday. . . It was not anticipated that the restriction would have to be applied to the North Shore unless there were a further delay in the arrival of the Kiwitea or in the unloading ol her cargo, said Mr. Worley. . . Restrictions would not have been imposed if there had been an> reasonable chance of maintaining the service. Over the last few days, however, the draw-off had been nearly 4,000,000 cubic feet of gas a day. The coal the company had been using was really not gas-making coal, and they h"d not been able to get a good yield om it. ■ In addition *o the Kiwitea being held up, another of the colliers which bring coal from the West Coast to Auckland, the Kartigi, has been off the run since September 28. She has remained at Auckland since that date through the inability of her owners to secure a crew. Mr. Worley said it was of the utmost importance that consumers should co-operate in not using the gas outside the specified hours. This caused trouble in maintaining services during the restrictions earlier in the year.