COAL CRISIS LOOMS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 166, 19 July 1946, Page 5

COAL CRISIS LOOMS

12 SHIPS STILL HELD ON WEST COAST STRIKE CONTINUES iP.A.) Wellington, July 18. With 12 ships held up in Westport and Greymouth because of the crews' defiance of the New Zealand Seamen's Union order to resume work, and most of the ships laden with coal for North Island ports, the coal position again approaches the desperate. Stocks of industrial coal in Wellington are in the main insufficient to last past Monday, and the prospect of reoeiving additional supplies before then is receding. Eight vessels are tied up in the rivet at Westport, and the bar is workable. The amount of coal involved, practically all for North Island ports, is about 11,000 tons, and there, is in addition a large quantity in the railway yards awaiting shipment.

The striking seamen in Westport, after a protracted meeting this morning, rejected the instruction of the executive of the union, sent after yesterday’s meeting in Wellington, to take the collier fleet to sea.

The meeting declared its intention to stand firm on its demaid lor continuous lighting and heating while in port. Until this was granted, their spokesman informed the masters at mid-day, none of the ships would put to sea.

It is understood that further action in Wellington is now awaited.

The direction of the national coun« cil yesterday advised crews to s’ail and stated that the council was discussing the tribunal's decision on the heating and lighting of ships in port, and would explain lhe result of its deliberations to meetings of seamen in the four main ports. In the meantimecrews at Napier, Gisborne and Auckland decided 1o sail with the exception of two ships of the 11 at Auckland. One of the Auckland ships is affected by an internal disagreement apart irom the main cause of the stoppage. The continued delay of ships on the West Coast will probably result in a serious shortage of coal in parts of the North Island, particularly in Auckland and Wellington. Altogether there are eight ships delayed in Westport, and four in Gieymouth, and most of them are laden with coal that is urgently needed for industry, gas, electric power, and hospitals. Stocks have been depleted as the result of the loss of supplies when the original dispute arose in Wellington and now that the ships concerned have been again delayed it is likely that Monuay will see an emergency in the coal position.

Unless shipments arrive by Monday the snortage will be serious and there is likely to bo an interruption of services using coal. Five ships with coal for Wellington arc at pres .-it held up on the West ('oast.