SCARCITY OF COAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4688, 24 June 1902, Page 7

SCARCITY OF COAL.

LOW STOCKS IN -WELLINGTON

. The Wellington householder has found some difficulty in obtaining his usual supplies of coal during the last few days. One man on Saturday rang up his. coal-dealer, and asked to he supplie d with enough coal to carry him on till Tuesday. To his surprise and dismay, ho was informed that the “thing couldn t bo done”—that, in fact, there was not enough coal in stock to supply this small order. This man’s is a typical case, for in tho course of last week the dealers have been ‘almost at their "wit’s end to fill orders. The shortage, as is usually the case, principally, if not entirely, affects West Coast coal. There are fair supplies of Newcastle coal on the market, but tho consumer prefers tho West Coast article for household purposes. Yesterday the Kotuku arrived with 1100 tons of West Coast coal, and this cargo will help to meet demands for a few days, but a good deal of it will probably be used to comply with back orders. During last. week tho dealers have been sending out small supplies at a time—a hundredweight hero, and a hundredweight there, and this, of course, considerably increases the cost of distribution. Various causes are assigned for tho shortage, but many of the dealers assert that tho principal cause is to be found in the fact that large supplies are being sent away for the warships on the China station. During the last few weeks, about 15,000 tons have been shipped in this way. It is stated, on the other hand, that tho quantity sent to the East has not been appreciably larger than it was last winter, and that tho present scarcity of coal is due to another cause altogether—namely, the recent bad weather, which has prevented tho steamers from getting in and out at Westport. This has delayed cargoes considerably, and, moreover, the fact that communication with Westport has been rendered difficult lias made it necessary for the colliers bound Eastward to lefive the West Coast with short supplies and finish their loading at Wellington. This, it is obvious, must have had an important effect in further diminishing tho supplies in this city. “It is the usual winter shortage,” said one authority yesterday to a representative of tho “New Zealand Times,” “and tho bad weather has strained matters a little just now". But the shortage will bo only temporary.”