CANTERBURY'S COAL SHORTAGE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14340, 3 July 1917, Page 7

CANTERBURY'S COAL SHORTAGE.

(Special to Uie Herald.)' OHKISTCHUHOH, this day. Special inquiries among large consumers of coal m Ohristchurch reveal that there is a very pronounced snortage of coal, and that the shortage is liicely to continue for jsome considerable i time. 'Some of the biggest concerns m the city, including the Ohristchurch City t Council, are experiencing the great difficulty m getting supplies of coal. This acute shortage was somewhat surprising m view of the published statement by the Minister that the output of the New Zealand mines is .now normal and indeed better than normal. The explanation, 'however, is found m the shortage of shipping. The coal problem will only besolved when the transport problem itself has been solved. Mr P. C. Cleary, secretary of the Retail Coal Merchants' ! Association, when spoken to on the matter, agreed that there was still a pro- ... nounce^ shortage, and also that.it was primarily due to the shipping trouble. . He said that m his judgment the shortage was likely to continue for some considerable time! Practically all coal coming to Canterbury comes by sea trans- ! port, including that from the West ! Coast, so that it is possible that this : province will feel the position very keenly. At present retail suppliers" are rigidly limiting the quantity they will supply to customers. This is to ensure that all classes of the community get a i fair shave of whatever supply is available, and m order to prevent the more greedy or wealthy members of the community I from obtaining more than they are justly , entitled to. The extent of the limita- • tion depends upon the supply held by i the retailer. Some retailers have prac- ! tically no coal at all, or only a; little ! lignite. Those who are better off fix a ; limit of a quarter of a- ton at a. time to consumers. Retailers express the opinion < that the only proper and effective way ' to conserve stocks and treat everybody 1 fairly is for the Government to tegu- ' late by legislation the amount of cdal that may be held by any person. The.. ' present slioi-ta no of 'coal is stimulating 1 tho demand for electrical power, but owing to the fact that the capacity of , the machinery installed at Lake Coleridge has already reached its limit, the amount of4?pjstance to be obtained from that quarter is also limited.