TRADE PARALYSED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1928, 25 August 1888, Page 3

TRADE PARALYSED.

(Received Aogaab, 25, 12,60 p.m.) Newcastle, August 25. The miners strike is expected to last from three to five months. Four hundred wharf hands have been paid off, there being no work for them and trade is almost completely paralysed. The tonnage m the harbor awaiting coal cargoes amount to 70,000 tons. It is believed that the strike will result m one-third of the coastal shipping being laid up and seven hundred seamen thrown out Melbourne, August 25 In consequence of the threatened coal famine the Gas Company have decided to reduce the gas pressure one-half. Wellington, August 24. It is ttated that Id consequence of the great demand for coal m Australia the pcloe of coal will shortly be raised by two shillings per ton, Auckland, August 25. Newcistle coal has;advanced 10a per ton hero. Weat Coast coal, la 61 ; local, unaltered, but la expeoted to rise if strike oontinuea. Coal was very dear all last winter m Gali. fornia, {and it was thought that it was not likely to ooour again, as vessels aggregating 90,000 tons had been despatched from San Franofsoo for Newoaatle (N.S.W.) m ballast. The threatened strike will probably mean that many of those vessels will have to visit Victoru and South Australia to obtain wheat charters, should coal not be obtainable. The value of the coal trade to Newcastle may be iqferwd from the faot that the output last yoit waft newly two tod a m jpilUoa toft*