THE COAL SHORTAGE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 264, 27 July 1918, Page 8

THE COAL SHORTAGE

FACTS OF SITUATION

STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER

REMEDY: GREATER PRODUCTION

The Hon. Arthur Myers, who has for some two years accepted the responsibility for an equitable distribution of such coal supplies as are available in New Zealand, in'commenting on the position generally yesterday slated that ninny people woie under the ifnprcssion that there had been no falling olf of available coal supplies in New Zealand. This, however, was not tho fact, as the following statement showed:—

The total output of all mines in NewZealand tor I91(i was equivalent to 2,257,135 tons, as against 2,D85,419 in 1917 thus 1917 was 188,716 tons short of the 1916 output.

The position as regards importations in 1916, as compared with 1917, shows 293,958 tons for 1916 as against 291,597 tons for 1917. The reason for importations for 1917 favourably comparing with 1916 is due to the fact that a substantial quantity of Admiralty bteam coal was made available at considerable expense. These figures, however, are no criterion as compared with peace conditions under which the following was produced and imported:— • . i Output. Imported, iear. Tons. Tons. 1913 1,888,005 468,940 191-t 2,275,614 518,070 1015 2,208,624 353,471 1916 2,257,135 293,956 1917 2,068,419 291,597 . Shortage, 433,668 Tons. From the above it will be seen that whereas in 1914 we had 2,793,681 tons available, in 1917 we had only 2,300,016 ■ tons available, being a shortage" of 433,668 tons. Tho point about this shortage, howover, is that 373,062 tons of it is represented by a shortage of hard coal required for steam-raising purposes. The position so far this year, January to June, 1918, as compared with January to June, 1917, is as follows:Tons. Output, 1917 854,15Q Output, 1918 952,118 Importations, 1917 229,311 Importations, 1918 132,601 Combined outputs and importations:— 1917, 1,033,101 ; .1018, 1,084,710. ' Reduced Importations. From this u wilt be gathered that while the output this year compares favourably with that of last year, tho importations Ivave considerably JMleu off; this is due to the fact that, although every available ton uf shipping is concentrated on the carriage uf coal, tho amount of tonnage available is not sufficient to supplement tho New Zealand output and thus meet the total consumption. Tho concentration of tonnage on coal from Newcastle at the present time, which has been done of necessity, has resulted in a very large accumulation of cargo in Australia which is destined for New Zealand, representing many commodities of an urgent and essential nature to the welfnre of the Dominion.

No Stocks Held. j Turning to the question of stocks of hard cufi] held in Now Zealand, tho position is disclosed by the following figures, which have been collected quarterly by the Government Statistician (including railways) :—

, ' Tons, ' July 31, 1917 2ig,987 October 31,. 1917 191,2-19 January 31. 1918 178J192 April 30, 1918 151,866 As regards the railways the impression that tjieir stocks are substantial is an erroneous one, and now and for some time past great anxiety to those directly concerned has been occasioned. The above serious shortages illustrate the difficulties of my Department ami those associated with me in meeting the urgent demands for fuel,' which at this time of the year are put forward with great pressure. As an indication of the consumption if has been estimated by my advisers that-the following activities require as under:—

TM • V OIIS ' r.lectric light and power, about 100,000 Gas works 250,000 I rceznip works ]50 3 000 Bunkering requirements 400 000 Railways 306!000

GraVid total 1,200,000 ■ It must bo remembered that this consumption represents hard eu.tl almost exclusively, Llius leaving under present conditions about 1,100,000 ton*, of which 800,000 tons represents ligmlte, ,to be available for all other services, including important exports for the Admiralty which cannot, be detailed. Hand-to-Mouth. From tho foregoing it will be gathered that the .Dominion has for a considerable period been living on a hawl-to-moufh basis lor coal supplies, and the dangor attaching to this state of affairs is amply illustrated by the effect of the recent storms which have coal-carry-ing boats making their regular journeys, thus resulting in a temporary shortage at ports awaiting deliveries. The position enjoyed prior to the storm can only be restored by the resumption of regular sailings, after which it is hoped the present shortage which is making itself felt will again disappear. »' The Minister, when asked to make ' a suggestipn which in his opinion would rectify the present state of affairs, said the remedy was to secure an increased output from the New Zealand coal mines, thus making New Zealand self-reliant in regard to this most essential commodity, and,, thereby releasing valuable tonnage now concentrated in bringing in supplies of coal from abroad.