COAL SUPPLIES

Evening Star, Issue 17118, 11 August 1919, Page 6

COAL SUPPLIES

SHD?MENTS IN SIGHT.

Tho Hon. A. M, Myers, at Wellington on Saturday, gave some details of the coal shipments now in sight. Three weeks ago he enumerated sdiipa arranged to bring 45,000 tons of Australian and 26,000 tons of American coal, but some of iheso have arrived and been discharged. TJnforUtnately, there wero several oases in which labor difficulties hampered carrying out the proposed shipments—one of tl'ieso boing the Waitomo, arrangements for which were made to brine across from Newcastle 6,500 tons of coal, 4,500 tons being for tho Railway Department. However, she was complied to lie Tip im Dunedin owing to inability to get a crow to take her across to Australia. This represents a bis loss to the supplies of coal available in the Dominion, as tho subsequent trip of tho vessel would have meant an addition of several cargoes of an equal quantity of coal. The carrier Ngakjuta icould fatso have been steadily engaged in the Newcastle tro-do if it had been possible to {jet her a crew to take her to Australia again. Another cose in point is that of the Ins;a, which has been lyinjr at Wangamri for somo time now, with a quantity of coal still on board. It is true that the waterside workers have taken oft' 2,000 tons of this cargo to en a bio Wanganui to keep goinp, bat they have so far refused to handle the remaining 9CO tons. Tho Waipoai also was held up temporarily in Newcastle owing to crew diflicixlties. ' Tho Waihora has been laid up for two months at Newcastle, fully loaded with coal (5.C00 torus), to an inability to a crew, and tho Rakanoa is another vessel wlricih would be employed on tho Nev.cast.lo run wei'ci it possible to obtain a (row.

The Briti>h Shipping (.kmtroller was approached with a view to endeavoring to arrange for all tonnage- to bring supplies of coal, both from America and Australia, en route to New Zealand, but he could not assist, "as no tonnago rMiifUitingunder requisition wiuj■ availablo for bringing coal from America and Australia to New Zealand, and in the present circumstances it was not possible to requisition to arrango specially for this purpose." Notwithstanding tho difficulties, said Mr Myers, every effort waa being made to secure ail available space for the carriage of coal to New Zealand. The detailed information below of phipments at present actually in eight is as under :—- —From Newcastle.— .Approx. Cargo duo date, in tons. Vessel—

In addition to the above fixtures, the following steamers, which aire at present engaged on the J?e\T Zealand coast, wall be despatched to Newcastle when the maritime strike is concluded _: —T*be Kaitoa, Koromiko, Kaitangata, Kaiapoi, Waitomo, and the Rakanoa. The quantity of coal at present in sight &x>m overseas allocation to railways represents 59,587 tons.

Wanaka (U.S.S. Co), now in Wellington ..; ... — 3.200 Kaihuia (U.S.S. Go.) Aug. 14 2, MO Waipori (IT.S.S. Co.) Aug. 16 2.700 Wanaki (U.S.S. Co) Aug. 27 3,200 Kauiri (U.S.8. Co.) ... Aug. 24 4,400 Oversea vessels— Otira ... Aug. 12 7,250 E. 1VL Stirling Aug. 12 4.000 Wain-era Am«. 20 900 Essex Aug. 9 3,000 Durham , ... A-ug. 11 o,uuu Port Victor A<vg 20 3,000 Ze.ilandic Auk. 18 to 20 2,003 Total 39,260 —From Ame rrica-— Mainari Aug. 18 4,685 Tropio ... Aug. 20 6,000 Kuraara . Sept. 8 5,000 City of Winchester ... Sept. 9 3,000 Westmaa'th Aug. 24 4,286 Mosala Aug. 30 4,966 Total from America ..- ... 27,937 Total ... . 67,187