COAL SHORTAGE

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 41, 16 August 1918, Page 8

COAL SHORTAGE

I ACUTE POSITION" IN" CHEIST- ; ■''. .■ . ". CHURCH.

I The;/shortage, of coal in Christchurch, Is now very acute; it is suffering just as Wellington has done. The Christchnrch. gun of yesterday stated :— »■ "The/ local coal position to-day is worse than it has been this winter. The trouble has Become accentuated by recent weather-conditions, which not only have caused an abnormal ' consumption, but Slso resulted in West Coast shipping with supplies being held up. At present ihe Board.of Trade is making enquiry into the position, and the vexed question jif dealers' charges. It has just concluded investigations into the position in Wellington, and whilst locally its enquiry* is, being conducted in camera, it is ifairly safe to assume that it will develop largely upon the lines taken in the northern, city.;. question of lignite slack is therefore likoly to be reported upon here. 'The .shortage .which existed has tieeii met to a certain extent by the use of lignite slack, which in former years was unsaleable. The public, however, finds it hard to understand why in cases it is'being'charged at the same rat© aa West Coast small steam, or unscreened coal,,the dealers classing as %lack coal' all coal received by them other than mine, screenings."