AWAITING COAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 May 1946, Page 2

AWAITING COAL

FOOD SHIP DELAYED AT LYTTELTON ORDERED A MONTH AGO (P.A.) WELLINGTON, May 30. Fully laden with foodstuffs and general cargo for the United Kingdom, the Port Line cargo steamer Port Campbell, which was to have sailed from Lyttelton last, night for Liverpool, is held up awaiting coal I for bunkers. The vessel completed loading last evening, but 900 tons of coal, which the agents of the ship say was ordered nearly a month ago, has not come to hand. In the meantime the Port Campbell has taken in all the coal held locally in hulks, with the exception of 120 tons, which will be taken in to-day. There remains a shortage of 600 tons, and for every day the ship remains in port she will need a further 15 tons, her dailv rate of consumption in port. It will take two days to load the 600 tons when it arrives, so that the ship cannot sail before next week.

The large amount of coal being shipped at Westport either as cargo M>r the North Island or as bunkers is stated to have been the cause of the delay. While the mines _ were using Q waggons for the shipping there, the Railway Department could not supply them with L or La or similar waggons which are used for transporting coal inland. However, it is expected that there will be clearance of shipping from Westport today, and coal and railway waggons should be made available for transporting coal to . Christchurch and Lyttelton. It will take two days to rail the 600 tons still required by the Port. Campbell.