COAL SHORTAGE,

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16213, 16 May 1918, Page 6

COAL SHORTAGE,

LIGNITE AS A SUBSTITUTE. WHAT IS BEING DONE. Recent sieges of the State coal office in Christchurch by members of the public have proved, wero any such proof necessary, that there is a marked scarcity of coal in Christchurch this winter, and it might be added that this city is not in a lone position in this respect —tho scarcity is iiiarked turoughout the Dominion, tho dittcrenco uetween the demand and tho supply being estimated at 2J per cent, 'lho principal causes lor this shortage are U) the decreased output of tho New Zealand mines due mainly to labour troubles, and (2) tho shortage of shipping preventing tiio import 01 coal I'ioni Newcastle (New Soutn Wales) to the same extent as formerly. Not only will the shortage of coal mako this a hard winter lor many householders but fear is expressed that it may ahect essential industries. To guard against this probability it has been suggested that tor private use, lignite oniy should bo used, or at least in greater proportion, conserving the bituminous coal lor essential industries.

Mr J. A. luostick, Efficiency Com- j missioner for Canterbury, when been oil the subjoct by a "Press"' reporter, declined to express an opinion officially, but, speaking personally, said he was strongly of tlio opinion that tile tifae of bituminous ooal should bo restricted to gas making, steamship purposes, or any essential industry wuicu could only bo conducted by its use. I'or household and otlicr purposes lignite should at least for tliu present ho the. coal that should be supplied, but in order to bring that about it would be necessary to take some stops 10 increase Lao output of lignite. Tuero was abundance of it in the South island althouga the supply available was very little. This was scarcely a matter for him to express an opinion about as a Coal .board had been specially appointed, but ho had no hesitation wuutfivcr in stating that bituminous coal should bo conserved as much as possible. •Mr J. A. Itedpath, chairman of the Cliristdiurcii Coal Hoard, stated that that body had been attempting to conservo coal as much as possible, the supply being nothing liiie tho demand. The coal merchants had been inducing tho people to take liguito in place or bituminous coal. ror instance, in plaeo of an order for a quarter of a ton of bituminous coal being now mot, the customer would be supplied with two sacks of bituminous eoul and one of lignite. But, Mr Kedpath pointed out, thero was not sufficient lignite to meet tho demand, despite the fact that the lignite mines wero working at full pressure. alio essential industries, however, had to bo maintained, and unless „ matters radically improved householders would have to go without coal.

The pressman stated that it h%4 been suggested that owing' to the lack of shipping for carrying coal from the "West Coast men employed at the mines there should be transferred to the lignite mines in order to secure a greater supply of lignite. Mr Iledpath, however, Stated that this would make matters worse, as every ton of West Coast coal was now required for essential purposes, and as one ton of bituminous coal was equivalent to a ton aud a half of lignito it could easily bo seen that the present unsatisfactory position would ho accentuated.