THE SHORTAGE OF COAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17461, 4 May 1920, Page 6

THE SHORTAGE OF COAL.

WAIKATO MINES IDLEj NO ; WORK DONE YESTERDAY. NO OUTPUT FOR 'SEVEN DAYS. The mines owned by the Taupiri and Pukemiro ; Coal Companies, which were rendered idle by the .railway strike since Tuesday, did not resume operations yesterday morning, as ■, was anticipated, in view of < the termination of the strike. Railway waggons were' placed in readiness lot the transport of the, output to re- j plenish the greatly depleted stocks throughout the province, but the miners did not start work. '-,-.-,. < I i

. Hie Auckland officials of the two companies concerned attributed the delay in resuming operations to the desire of the men to observe May Day. This fell on Saturday, which was pay-day at the mines, and consequently a working day, therefore the observance of the. holiday was deforced till yesterday. The officiallyrecognished Labour Day in the Dominion is in the month of October in each year, and efforts of the coal miners to have May Day incorporated in the award as a compulsory holiday have proved, fruitless. The national agreement arrived at last February provided that holidays should remain as hitherto, and no arrangements for a holiday on the occasion has since been made with the. companies, which always opposed the suggestion to have May Day in addition to the official Labour Day holiday. , \ The Hanlly correspondent of the Herald telegraphed last evening that the men did not resume work yesterday morning in the Extended, Rotowaro and Pukemiro mines, it being stated that some were not aware of the termination of the railway strike, while others were under a misconception that railway waggons were not' available. No work has been done since Monday last week, a stop-work meeting having been held on Tuesday, the railway trouble being responsible for the suspension of operations since then. It is understood , that work will be resumed to-day. The effect of the men's action yesterday i was to further shorten the already all too scarce supplies, to which the prevalence of influenza and the shortage of railway trucks, in addition to the railway strike, have been contributing factors. The number of men employed by the Taupiri Company's mines exceeds 460, and the number employed! by the Pukemiro Company is about 85. The miners at Hikurangi resumed work at 4 p.m. yesterday, as soon as the railway arrangements permitted. TEE CITY'S PUBLIC SERVICES. SUPPLIES FROM THE RAILWAY. Under the arrangement made with the Railway Department the City Council yesterday commenced to take delivery of the 500 tons of coal which it was agreed the Department should hand over. As* n result both the tramways and electrical departments' of the council were placed in a position to continue running, and witH the resumption of operations at the Huntly mines the danger of a stoppage at either plant will have been overcome. Some delay was experienced in connection with the coal secured from the railways owing to it having to bo trucked to the powerhouses and broken down for use in the respective furnaces.

POSITION Or CEMENT COMPANY. VERY LOW STOCKS IN HAND. The Wilsons (N.Z.) Portland Cement Company, whose stock of coal is very short, received a supply from Hikurangi yesterday, which will enable the company's Portland plant to work at half its capacity till Wednesday, before which time it is hoped further stocks will come to Hand. - About 600 tons are required weekly for the Portland works, and a similar quantity for the Warkworth work), the. latter having been closed for iho List seven or eight months owir g to the coal shortage.

The Kakapo, which arrived last night from Westport,, brought about 900 ions of coal for the Gas Company, and a further cargo of 2500 tons of Westport coal will arrive by the Kaitangata about Thursday.