WELLINGTON FEELING THE PINCH

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3059, 21 April 1917, Page 10

WELLINGTON FEELING THE PINCH

MAYOR APPEALS FOR ECONOMY PUBLIC SERVICES AFFECTED Inquiries wore instituted yesterday in order to ascertain how the •city was situated, with regard to coal. One leading coal merchant states that as far as •the small manufacturers (who never hold largo stocks of coal) and the householders are concerned, the coal stocks of Wellington wero practically exhausted at the present time. Since Tuesday they had been refusing to take, orders at all,,and in the meantimo had been endeavouring to execute those orders that were on the books as well as they were able. Hβ stated that tho strike had been very cunningly engineered so as to exhaust stocks by a couple of months of Jlie "go-slow" policy. The method had even defeated the more cautious coal consumers"," who as a rule made it a plan to keep a, reasonably large stock on hand. Owing ■to the restricted output of late, howover, such people and firms had bpen unable 10 prepare for contingencies, and the striko caught them short. So bad was the position that Wellington would probably see some factories closing down about tho end of next week, owing to the difficulty of obtaining further coal supplies. There was no chance of getting any supplies from the Waikato, as owing to there being no : West Coast coal for Auckland for over a week past there was an eager demand at the northern port for all the coal the Waikttto mines 'could turn out. The City Tramways.. The Tramways Department of the Wellington City Corporation is-taking .measures to conserve its- coS-, The restrictions in the 'tramway service commence to-morrow, and, as may be seen from our advertising columns, they are fairly drastic. The work-day restrictions in the service commence on. Monday, and citizens who depend on the tramways as a means of transit between the City and their homes in the suburbs would bo acting wisely to study tlio official announcement referring to tho revised timo-table. Mayor's Appeal For Economy. , ' The Mayor has requested citizens to put forward their hours of work half an hour in the morning, in order that employees may get away half an hour earlier (4.30 p.m. instead of 5 p.m.), with the object of restricting the use of electric energy for lighting. Tho Mayor, in his official pronouncement, says:—

"I have earnestly to request citizens to co-operato -with tlie City Council in ■husbanding stocks of coal during thepresent crisis. Tho greatest assistance can be rendered'by all concerned by regulating the hours of work to enable the citizens' sorviccs to carry on effectively for a prolonged period, and it is deemed desirable that shops, offices, warehouses and factories be opened for work half an hour earlier in tho morning and closed at 4.30 p.m. lam confident that in the bust interests of the community, during tho present serious crisis, tho above request will he acceded to, .commencing on Monday -next, tho 23rd April."

Wellington Cas Company's Stock. The position of the Wellington Gas 'Company as regards their stock of coal, affects thousands of citizens..-"In. reply to a question yesterday, the socretary of the company (Mr. Helliwcll) stated that the company had just over a mouth's supply for normal requirements; '; ■ \ Supplies .of Firewood. Wellington is badly 'off, for firewood supplies., As an alternative to coal in the household and some .furnaces, firewood from the bush is quite useful, hut unfortunately the source of supply is moving . farther and farther away, and the cost of securing tho same, increased by the few that cut firewood, is accentuated by tho' prevalent shortage of labour. One Wellington merchant stated that he could get no big stocks nearer than Dannevirke. Some came from Waikanae, but it was not, as a rule, very good stuff. The wood from Dannevirke was rimu, taua, and red birch, and it was \ being sold in Wellington at from £2 15s. to £3 per cord. v I The Meat Freezing Companies. I One important branch of industry that would feel the effects of a protracted coal strike arc the meat-f reczing companies.' Owing to the shortage of ships the cold stores of such works arc all packed with meat, and the plants have to be Kept coing the whole round of tho clock to sustain the proper degree of cold. . Such works we big coal-consumers, and usually hold stocks covering from two to six months ahead of requirements. Most of the meat in cold store/is the property of the Imperial Government. THE LYTTELTON FERRY TIME-TABLE ALTERED. The Union. Company advised yestorday that an alteration is to. be- made from Monday night next in the time of departure of tho forry steamers from Lyttelton. Tho steamers are to leave- Lyttelton in future at 5.15 p.m., or on arrival of the southern express, and they, will now arrive here between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m., instead of about 9 a.m. . . I'

7 NO STREET LIGHTS IN PETONE Tho Petone Borough Council held an emergency meeting .yesterday afternoon to consider ways and means of meeting tho situation created by the coal crisis, and dccided, in view of .tho low state of the council's coal stocks at the gas works, to discontinue all street lighting exccpt at the lamp at the railway station, the lamp ,at the junction of Jackson Street with the Main Hutt Koad, and tho ]amp at the Gear Company's siding. Shopkeepers are asked to be as economical as possible in the use of gas. The picture theatres will be asked to open threo nights per week only, and to conserve the energy of their gas engines. Tho council has also asked the Hutt Borough Council, which buys its gas from Petone, to initiate similar economies. MASTERTON CAS WORKS. An effort is being made to conserve the coke supplies at the Masterton gas works, and orders for domestic purposes are limited to five-bag lots. The coal stocks in hand are sufficient lo last for somo time. '' AUSTRALIAN HELP FOR NEW ZEALAND MINERS. By Tclosraph-Pross Association-Oopirlsht Sydney, April 20. The Federal Council of the Australasian Coal Employees' Federation has decided to take any steps doomed necessary to assist the Now Zealand minors. .