THE COAL SHORTAGE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 11860, 28 June 1919, Page 5

THE COAL SHORTAGE.

HOW CHRISTCHURCH DEALS WITH II A CITY COUNCIL SHIPMENT, Per Press Association. »f Christchurch, June 27. :s The City Council’s Coal Oommitn tee has arranged for 600 tons of the 1 best household coal to be shipped d from Greymouth to Christchurch, reaching here at the end of next week. It is intended to arrange for similar shipments weekly. As to'the distribution of the municipal ship- - ments, the Mayor states that the coal will be offered to retailers at a price which will allow them a fail; profit. If the retailers decline to take the coal the municipal authorities will dispose of it direct to the consumers. SITUATION IN AUCKLAND. Auckland, June 27 Acute shortage of coal in Auck- ' land is not considered likely to have L any serious effect on the Tramway • Company. The Gas Company was ' described to-day as working from hand to month, and living in hopes of supplies from the south. House- ’ hold supplies remain considerably 1 below demand. STATE MINES RESUME WORK. Greymouth, June 27. The State mines, which ,had been idle since Friday |ast, resumed this morning. A stop-work meeting was held yesterday. It is understood the meeting declared “black” 5000 tons of coal consigned to Sydney. CASE OP THE BARWON. SAILS WITH PART LOAD. COMPACT DISHONOURED. e Wellington, June 27. The Hon. Myers, in a statement regarding the Barwon’s coal, said: This collier would never have brought coal to the Dominion if an equivalent qi>antity of West Coast coal could not have been guaranteed the Admiralty in return. She brought over a full shipment of Australian coal, which was allocated to essential industries in Dunedin. After discharge, the Barwon proceeded to the coast to load a return shipment, but on account of her draught, she had to proceed to Wei- J lington to load the remainder—some 1300 tons. Messrs Roberts and 1 Glover, of the Watersiders’ Union, ] called on the Minister and stated that the watersiders refused to load 1 the Barwon unless they were sup-

plied with 60 tons of coal to meet ( their own domestic requirements. < Mr Myers placed the question be- ( fore Cabinet, and it was decided that ( distribution must be on an equitable basis, without preference to 1 any section of the community. In 1 conveying this decision to Messrs ’ Glover and Roberts, the Minister c pointed out that New Zealand had ’ already received a similar quantity of coal, and was morally bound to k carry out the compact entered into. * On the decision of Cabinet being * conveyed to the watersiders,. they refused to complete loading the Barwon, and the shipping company J decided to despatch her without the balance of the coal. The Minister had therefore given instructions that 700 tons of the 1300 should be allocated for household requirements in ® Wellington, Other colliers had ar- £ rived from the West Coast and a t further 700 tons have been released, d