BUSINESS IN COAL SLACK.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10240, 1 September 1909, Page 4

BUSINESS IN COAL SLACK.

WESTPORT COMPANY'S EXPLANATION. ,

(Per. Press Association.) Westport, September 1. In connection with the reduction by 200 of the .number of hands at the local colliery, the following '• information is published :■ —"The annual output-of the Westport Coal Company is about 600,000 tons, of which only about 200,000 tons is suitable for screening. Of the 200,000 tons, 90,000 -tons is screened coal, or 45 per cent.-; 110,000 ton's is. small coal, or 55 per cent., and this means that 400,000 tons has to be sold as steam coal. "The mines can only be worked at their full capacity when there is a demand for the different sorts in the above proportions. At present the • demand is chiefly for screened coal, and orders for this class of coal cannot all be fulfilled owing to the poor demand for steam and small coal. Newcastle coal, when screened, gives 80 per ceijt. of screened and 20 per cent, only of small. The Company will lose heavily by knocking off a shift at Granity, and as trade improves more hands will immediately be put on, but it is doubtful if a second shift can be resumed this year. The Company sent a man to the East to try to open up a market there for their coal, and followed this visit up by consignments of coal, bnt the loss was disastrous and shipments had to be discontinued."