NO COAL AVAILABLE

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 April 1946, Page 6

NO COAL AVAILABLE

WATERSIDERS’ HOLIDAY WORK OFFSET

fe; THREE COLLIERS DELAYED

After working on Easter Saturday and Monday, Greymouth waterside workers were idle to-’ day, as were the three colliers at the wharf. This position arose through the bins at the district mines being emptied as the result of the watersiders ( working during the holidavs and of the poor attendances and, consequently, lower production at most mines to-day. This delay

will practically offset the value of the watersiders’ during the holidays.

Another factor which brought about the lack of coal was the consistent flow of shipping to the port last week, and, as a result, there was little opportunity for building up i coal stocks to load the colliers during | the holidays. The Kiwitea and the Karu, taking 2700 and 1300 tons respectively, had cleaned out most of the bins by the end of last week. After observing Good Friday as a holiday, the waterside workers were engaged on the loading of the Karu all day on Saturday and during the night, but there was no work on Sunday. Work was commenced yesterday on the loading of the Gabriella, but with little coal available these operations could not be continued to-day. As a result, the Gabriella, the Kaimai, and the Rata are idle, though work on the first-named is to be resumed this evening. Some 100,000 feet of the Gabriella’s timber cargo of 400,000 feet is available on the wharf, but cannot be handled until the coal-loading has been completed. In the meantime, the Kaimai will have to wait for to-morrow’s mine output before she can commence loading operations, while the Rata is expected to be delayed even longer. BACK SHIFTTOMMENCED AT REWANUI A back shift was commenced at the Liverpool State mine at Rewanui last week, seven pairs of miners being engaged. The men received their places in the cavil. It is understood that the back-shift is being worked as a result of insufficient places being available during the day.