WELLINGTON'S PLIGHT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 18116, 5 June 1919, Page 4

WELLINGTON'S PLIGHT.

COAL AND MILK SHORTAGE. ' y POSITION BECOMING MORE SERIOUS. [From Ora ■ Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, o uue I. Wellington citizens are ieehng tho pinch ot winter in regard to two inuispeusable commodities, namely, mnk tynii coal. But lor tlie.-activity ot the Oty ■ ' Council's Milk Committee there would liave been a iarnine in nnlk tnis ween. T-iie council lias iiad to secure special supplies over a wide area, from IVel-, lington to Wanganui and the whole or the Wairarapa district to* Woodvnle. The quantity, however, is 25 per cent short of the normal requirements. As the City Council controls the whole supply through a central clearing depot-, v vendors have been given a reauced allocation, which, for the near future, amounts to 15 per cent. Sunday supplies constitute a serious problem. Motor lorries have been making long - tfip6, but. Wairarapa’s week-end supply is threatened by ‘local bodies refusing . to permit heavily loaded vehicles to pass over certain bridges .on the main , road- The Railway Department is being asked to assist in this emergency, ponding the joint action of local authorities in strengthening bridges. The coal supply is an even worse worry, as merchants often have to close their order- department for a week and there is always a big rush on reopening. To-day the State coal depot, after refusing to sell anythingj but wood and coke for over a fortnight,i began to accept coal orders. Early in the morning its public office was besieged by numerous Coal hunters, who evidently'had learnt’of the arrival of two colliers from Greymouth. At one time thero must have been over 200 people ’in and outside the building, and somo method of dealing with the largo crowd had to be adopted. Two men were stationed at a door and only a limited number of people was allowed in at one time. The crowd consisted mainly of women, with a few men scattered'here and there. The latter, liowt ever soon lost patience and such expressions as “I’ve had enough of this” and “ I’ll leave them to it, ’ were fre-' quently heard. . The women folk were not so easily discouraged, however, and after lengthy waits they were admitted to the office. Inside, clerks were working at high pressure in dealing with the never-ending stream of eppli- : y cants. Only small orders were taken, ns the supply is not yet up to the normal. Having given their orders customers went away, apparently satisfied, hut with so many orders requiring attention it is very likely many will haTe i to wait some time for the delivery of | their coat