SHORTAGE OF COAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18054, 30 September 1920, Page 3

SHORTAGE OF COAL

SUPPLY OF GAS THREATENED.

A SERIOUS "WARNING-.

In moving the adoption of the Gas Committee's report at tho meeting of tho City Council lust night, Cr Clark (acting chairman of the committee) stated that tho coal position at tho works was extremely serious, ajid more acute than it had been at iir.y previous timo. They could not look forward to supplying their needs for much more than about 1? days. They had received no coal since August 16. It would bo remembered that, in conjunction with ■ the Government, they chartered a boat bringing a supply from Newcastle. Immediately that boat was discharged it we.nt to Newcastle to bring a supply for tho railway and the works. Tho boat had now been at Newcastle for threo weeks waiting for a load, but for reasons they were not in a position to judge it had not been possible to get her away, and there was no indioation at all when that coal was going to lea v Newcastle. Roughly speaking, tho works required 1300 tons of coal a month to keep up tho normal supply of gas. It was noticeable, too, that the amount of gas used was going up. Thero was a 10 per cent, incroaso this month over previous years. Tho increased price of coal might havo something to do with this, but it was making it still more difficult to carry on. They had endeavoured to get a supply of New Zealand coal, and the manager had been in close touch with the Controller of Coal in Wellington. They had got no promise of anything at all definite. He had written to the manager that he could only advise him to exercise the strict- I est economy in tho use of gas, and that it appeared to him that critical times were ahead. He said ho would do his best to assist the manager, and would endeavour to arrange for the Westport Coal Company sending a small load, but there had been a falling oft" of 40,000 tons in the output during the eight months of this year. The position, Cr Clark continued, was that they must exercise the very strictest economy in their consumption of gns. It was only fair to inform the council that they had come to the stage when it was absolutely necessary to shut down tho street lights as far as gas was concerned, a few of the more important excepted. If they used their gas they would run the risk of getting themselves into the same position as Auckland—no gas would he available for use in the home or factory. Tho engineer and himself, in consultation, had a desire to issue an advertisement in the newspapers asking consumers to use gas as economioallv aa they possibly cotild. They wanted, if it was possible, to avoid restrictions, but if there were no coal in sight in the course of a week it would be almost necessary to reduce the pressure of gas. If the works had to shut down a large number of other industries would have to shut down also, and private people would be pat to great inconvenience. It was not revenue that was wanted just now; it was economy °n the use of gas. Cr -Hayward seconded the motion. Where they had electric power he thought they should use more of it instead pf using gas. Look at the amount of gas they used in ■warming and lighting their chamber 1 The report was adopted.