CITY'S COAL SUPPLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17460, 3 May 1920, Page 6

CITY'S COAL SUPPLY.

TRAMS AND ELECTRICITY.

j RAILWAY DEPARTMENT'S AID. The ending: of the railway strike, it is believed, will make it possible for the City Council's electrical supply and tramway services to bo continued without any interruption. The, existing stocks of coal at both stations are sufficient only to meet to-day's consumption. As the normal deliveries of coal cannot be restored at once, a break in the services would bo unavoidable but for an arrangement that the Mayor has made with 1 the Railway Department. The position was put by Mr. Gunson before the Prime Minister, us Minister for Railways, on Saturday, with the result that Mr. Massey agreed to allow 500 tons of coal to be taken from the local railway yards. The details of the transaction were arranged on Saturday between the general manager of railways, Mr. R. W. McVilly, and the general manager of the city tramways department, Mr. J. J. Walklate. The council will commence this morning to take delivery of this coal which will provide for three days' requirements at the two stations. At the end of that time the usual supplies from the Waikato district should bo again forthcoming. In referring last evening to the situation in connection with the two services, the Mayor said that there had been no deliveries of coal idnce April 83. the day frior to *he arrival of the Prince of Wales. ', was fortunate, he said, that since the previous interruption in coal supplies the council had been able to build up small reserves of overseas coal, This coal had been purchased at high prices, but the prudence of creating these emergency stocks had been demonstrated .by the present difficulty. The Mayor added that the Railway Department had come to the council's assistance in a very ready manner. The /end of the difficulty regarding the coal supply has also obviated a serious situation in connection with the supply of water to the higher levels from the Mount Eden reservoir. The water is pumped to this reservoir, and the threatened failure in the coal supply gave rise to considerable I anxiety.