COAL SHORTAGE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume X, Issue 243, 30 October 1920, Page 5

COAL SHORTAGE.

AUCKLAND’S COMPLAINT ANSWERED. NIGHT I’OWER FROM HORAHORA. Auckland, Oct. 29. The suggestions forwarded by tho Auckland City Council to the Primo Minister on the subject of the coal problem during tho recent coal shortage evoked from Mr. Massey a reply nt length, which wits put before the council meeting last night. On the subject of tho export of bituminous coal he points out that of 275,000 exported hist year none was for trade purposes but 15,162 tons was for the Admiralty and the balance for bunkering overseas vessels shipping the Dominion's produce. To a statement that Auckland was not getting an adequate share of Westport coal, Mr, Massey replied that, Auckland had supplies rcndjly available from Waikato and the, Northern collieries as well ns from Newcastle, making it more favourably situated than other cities in the Dominion. Everything possible was being done to increase output, but until there were enough miners -to mnn tho existing mines little improvement could be effected by opening new fields. I Replying to the council’s suggestions ns to the supply of hydro-electric power ! tho Prime Minister stated that the saving last year in Canterbury through the Lake Coleridge scheme as compared with previous methods of generating power was over 120,000 tons of coal or its equivalent in kerosene or petrol. The construction of n line from Hornhorse power station would bo recommended if the Government obtained a guarantcod niininui mof £15,000 a year for the supply of 2000 h.p. for ten hours n. day, namely, from 8 p.in. to 6 a.m., at 1/2 a unit.