THE COAL SHORTAGE

Southland Times, Issue 18617, 15 August 1919, Page 5

THE COAL SHORTAGE

LOCAL IMPORTERS’ DIFFICULTIES. SHIPMENTS HELD UP IN DUNEDIN. APPEAL TO SIR JOSEPH WARD. Invercargill has been particularly handicapped during the railway restrictions by the fact that supplies cannot be obtained either by rail or by sea. English and American vessels do not call at the Bluff to unload their shipments for the south, with the result that imported goods urgently required locally have been accumulating in Dunedin. In addition to the inconvenience caused to local merchants by the delay, they have also to bear increased storage charges and when the railway restrictions are lifted the railage charges wall be considerably more than if the goods were shipped direct to the port of Bluff. Mr H. C. Campbell, shipping agent, Dunedin, on behalf of local merchants is making representations to the Government to have goods unshipped at Dunedin railed direct to Invercargill, and has sent the following telegram to Sir Joseph Ward: — “On account Invercargill importers we have approximately landed out of various overseas vessels at Port Chalmers and Dunedin 150 tons of cargo which is now lying in Dunedin and urgently wanted in Invercargill, and for which it is impossible to get vessel for Invercargill or Bluff. - Also large shipments due to arrive. As you know vessels have not been loading in England or America for Bluff therefore heavy storage is being incurred on goods held up in Dunedin. We think in justice to Invercargill merchants those goods should be carried to Invercargill by rail in the same way as if they had been landed at Bluff direct from overseas.” So far no reply has been received to the telegram, which was sent on Wednesday. LIGHTING RESTRICTIONS. PUBLIC BODIES’ POWERS. A matter which involved the coal shortage came before the Town Council last night in the form of a communication from the Minister in Charge of the Coal Control Depsitment (the Hon. A. M. Myers). The circular referred to the power that local bodies possessed to bring into operation the powers conferred by the Lighting Regulations of 1917. The regulations give the lighting authority power to impose restrictions regarding the public and private use of electric and gas light, but provide for the Minister having the ultimate decision regarding the necessity or otherwise of such restrictions. Cr J. F. Lillicrap said that although the Borough had been able to get along so far, there was no doubt that the matter was worth consideration. The communication was referred to the Works Committee with power to act.

WEST COAST TIMBER TRADE. THE SHIPMENTS TO AUSTRALIA. (Eer‘United Press Association.) GREYMOUTH, August 14. The Wellington message stating that millions of feet of timber have been carried on the Greymouth railways for shipment to Australia is incorrect. Since the ‘cut” the Kaitangata is the only timber vessel to go to Australia. She carried less than a million feet. The railways are mostly engaged handling timber for Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington. There is little market in the Dominion for white pine, and millers rely on the Australian markets. The bulk of the timber waiting shipment here is white pine, and it was not possible to ship it owing to the strike. The millers ask the Minister to supply a statement showing the timber carried on local railways for Dominion use and expert to Australia.