COAL SHIPMENTS AT LYTTELTON

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22515, 24 September 1938, Page 9

COAL SHIPMENTS AT LYTTELTON

HEAVIEST TRADE FOR MANY YEARS EFFECT OF MINERS’ STRIKE IN AUSTRALIA Not for many years—in fact, not since the advent of motor-ships and oil-burning steamers, has so much coal been handled at Lyttelton as is being discharged and loaded at present, the principal reason being the diversion of the coal trade to New Zealand through the strike in the Australian mines. Last week the Poolta discharged a cargo of coal from Westport at Lyttelton, and this week the Gabriella has discharged a full cargo of Westport coal, and the Waiotapu has discharged 1500 tons of Australian coal. The Poolta is due at Lyttelton on Friday" next, and the Kaikorai on October 3, both with coal from Westport. ' The overseas steamer Port Melbourne, which arrived here yesterday from Australia ■ to load 3000 tons of potatoes for Montevideo, is one of the few remaining coal-burners in the Port Line fleet, and she will take in from 1200 to 1400 tons of coal for bunkers. To-morrow, the Union Company’s chartered steamer Narbada is to arrive at Lyttelton from Bluff to take in up to 1700 tons of bunkers. She was to have taken in bunkers at Newcastle, also "a full load of coal at Java, but she will now remain at Lyttelton for a Week or two pending the settlement of the trouble in Australia. The City of Winchester took in 400 tons of bunkers at the beginning of the week. The Imperial Monarch, which discharged newsprint at Lyttelton, loaded 500 tons of coal into her bunkers, and the City of Pittsburg took in* 200 tons yesterday.