IN THE SOUTH

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 106, 31 October 1913, Page 8

IN THE SOUTH

RESPONDING TO THE CALL DUNEDIN MEN REFUSE WORK. (BT TELIGRA.FH— PRESS ASSOCIATION.) DUNEDIN, This Day. Responding to the call from Wellington the local watersiders refused to resume work this morning. SHORTAGE OF SUPPLIES DUNEDIN, This Day. It is understood that the stocks of sugar in Otago will not last more than a fortnight at the ordinary rate. Two reasons are given for this shortage. In the first place the merchants have been expecting a drop in price, and further, the profit on sugar is so small that there is usually no inducement to load up heavily. Enquiries as to our holdings in coal lead to more unsatisfactory replies. We are told that the railway and the gas works are well supplied and can keep going for a considerable time without any more coal being brought in, whilst the stocks in the yards are ample for normal deliveries, for at any rate a couple of months. If there is anything like a panic demand from people who want to lay by extra supplies they may be answered that they must be content with something less, for the merchants are not prepared to tie up their coal for the benefit of a few and the harassing of thoir customers at. large. But this is merely a precautionary policy. All ordinary orders can be met and the coal men are quietly cheerful about the prospects.