THE COAL SHORTAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18455, 19 July 1923, Page 10

THE COAL SHORTAGE.

POSITION IN AUCKLAND. TROUBLE IN AUSTRALIA. [BT TKLEGBATH.--- SPECIAL :■ BEPORTEB.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. " The difficulty will continue until we have complete manning of all our mines in this country and our people import less coal from Australia," said the Minister Mines, Hon. G. J. Anderson, in the House of Representatives this afternoon, in replying to Mr. W. J. Jordan (Manukau), who asked whether he -was aware of the shortage, of coal in Auckland, where dealers could not get supplies. The Minister »aid v the . shortage was due to the fact that the output of New South Wales mines had stopped for some* considerable time. The condition was aggravated in Auckland by the stoppage of one of ' the Hikurangi mines. The Waikato mines were doing their best to produce more coal in order to meet the increased demands. ' In Christchurch and Auckland the consumption of Australian coal was particularly large. The Government and the mining companies were doing their best to increase the production of coal, and the dealers would get their proportion of whatever became available.

POSITION NOT UNUSUAL,

NEWCASTLE COAL NEXT MONTH.

Several "local coal merchants . report that there has been a shortage of Huntly coal on the Auckland market, but this is not unusual during the winter, and the shortage is experienced nearly" every .year in the months of June and July. Good supplies of Westport coal are available, but this is not suitable for general household purposes. Several shipments of Newcastle coal are due to arrive in Auckland in about four weeks, and ample supplies of domestic coal will then be available. The interruption in the supply of Hikurangi coal has not been responsible for the ,• present ' shortage, as this type of coal is used solely for commercial purposes. . .V. _ '