COAL FROM OHAI

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25852, 24 May 1945, Page 4

COAL FROM OHAI

SUPPLIES ON THE WAY An assurance that coal is on its way to Dunedin from the Ohai area was contained in a telegram received last night by the Mayor (Mr D. C. Cameron) from the Minister of Defence (Mr F. Jones).

The telegram stated that the Acting Minister of Mines hoped to arrange for increased supplies next week. There was no indication in the message of the quantity of coal already on the way.

SHORTAGE IN INVERCARGILL

EARLY RELIEF UNLIKELY (Special) INVERCARGILL, May 23. “The people of Invercargill who in the past have been more fortunate with coal supplies than those in other centres must now realise that coal is to-day probably the scarcest commodity they require,’’ said an Invercargill merchant to-day when asked about the coal position in the city. For some months past, he said, the Railways had commandeered from the majority of the mines at Ohai more than 2000 tons a week. This represented as much as 60 per cent, of the total production of domestic coal of some of the mines. Early last week instructions were received that because of the acute position of the railway supplies all household coal from the mines at Ohai was to go to the Railways. No supplies were received by city merchants last week, and they had been forced to ration coal very severely. The open-cast mine operated by the Government, the merchant continued, was expected to produce a considerable quantity of coal - and this, it was understood, would go to the Railways. When the railways supply positidn became less acute it was likely that supplies from the other mines would be available for domestic purposes, but it was not thought that any early relief could be expected. It was pointed out that the position had been further aggravated by one mine practically ceasing production.