SHORTAGE OF CEMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17652, 13 December 1920, Page 4

SHORTAGE OF CEMENT.

POSITION IN WANGANUI. NECESSITY FOR RELIEF. SUPPLY FROM JAPAN SUGGESTED. [BY TELEGRAPH. OTS CORRES?ONDF-ST ] WANGANUI. Saturday The shortage of cement is so acute in i Wanganui that work on many buildings lis delayed, and a number of men have j "been thrown out of employment tempo rar- ! ily. A shipment of 140 tons of cemer.t is 'expected to-morrow, but this will not ! relieve the position. The question was discussed at a rrv-'-t-I ing of the County Council to day. Mr. ' Gregor McGregor, who hss just returned from a visit to China, said that while \r\ the East he had discussed the possibility • of. getting supplies for New Zealand. He visited the Green Island Cerr ent Work* at Hongkong, and was informed that the works had orders for 10.000 tons ahr-ad. On his visit further North he visaed another large cement works, and was informed that the company had orders months ahead. On the. steamer in which he returned to the Dominion there was a cargo of 500 tons from Japan. The quality of Japanese cement varied, some of it being good and some poor. He did not know what the cost of cement w ou'id be in Japan, but considered that it might be worth while to make investigations. He suggested that if a satisfactory deal could be arranged local bodies could join together and perhsps import a large consignment. i OTIRA TUNNEL AFFECTED.

CESSATION OF OPERATIONS

[BY TELEGRAPH. —FRESS ASSOCIATION.]

CHKISTCHURCH. Saturday Owing to the cement shortage work haj ceased at the Otira tunnel.