MIRAMAR'S COAL SUPPLY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 108, 31 January 1919, Page 6

MIRAMAR'S COAL SUPPLY

.. SHORTAGE AND SYSTEM CRITICISED The coal' supply for the Borough of Sliramar wns discussed at last evening' 9 meetingoosf s tho Miramar Borough Coun- ' cil, as a result of a letter received from , the Miramar Municipal Electors and Beautifying Association. .The letter, which was forwarded by the secretary, Mr. F. T. Brunton, ran as follows:—"At the la.«t meeting of the above association . the shortage of coat supplies in the bor- , ough was discussed, and s s the borough has been practically without coal for some time, nnd, the winter is approaching, and ■ the outlook for supplies is none too good, a motion was passed to the effect that the; council should try and 'obtain' supplies for. the wants of j the'.residents. ' If the cor.nciMised their inflii- ■■ ehce, coal could be lanfled at the Mira-.'■-mar.'Wharf.' At present 'he snips tha^ - "bring-the coal to Wellington unload their - household coal there, n.nd fetch the small coal to the Miramar Wharf for the Gas Company, thereby making double berthage. We feel that if that household coal ■was'discharged at our wharf wo would get regular-supplies and coal would be There is one question, nnd that .. ii'S'.a weighbridge, which is .neaisJ, which ■-.of course will 'be discussed whon the -council-gives, this importaut ma'ter their '~ en'-'ni'st consideration." . / ' Councillor C. A. Chapman moved that a subcommittee be set up to go into the matter. He stated that.there was no ■doubt that the present eystem of coal supP|j- to the borough.'was' inadequate, and that the coal shortage was very acute. If the unshipping of the coal at Miramar 1 Wharf- did not make the co.il cheaper to the residents of the borough, they would at least get tH'ir supplies much, more, exo'editiouely.'- He. considered that it .wfliild be. qwite tho best method if household coal for Miramar residents was unshipped at Miramar Wharf. It would obviate the double berthage and certainly • Enable the residents.to get snp.n' ! »s resulany and perhaps. cheaper. The Gas ' Company had their coal landed at the wharf, and in his opinion household coal should be landed there-also. Councillor W. H. Green: This connpil ha.= no power to go into this sort of busi- . ness. ■. ■ ' ' 1 The Mayor remarked that he did not think fhe council could go into a matter of commerce. „. .Councillor. Chapman: May I be allowed to speak? . The Mayor:"No; you havo spoken once. Councillor 11., K. Eobertshaw considered that the council might b° able to do quite a lot in improving the co«l snrmly for the residents of (he borough. Tho coal shortage was very acute, and he thought the appointment of a subcommittee to go into the nusstion tho riplit method of dealing with the matter. He seconded the motion. The Mayor he wished to explain that the matter before the. rrienting was a letter from the Miramnr Municipal Electors and Beautifying Associntion, which suggested that the council do Something to improve the-coal simply. Any motion could be submitted after the letter had hoPn dealt with. a Councillor Chapman: Excuse nip. sir. there's a motion Wore the council and ■ yon have accented the motion. The Mayor: I will ask you to sit down, Councillor Chapman. I five you to unf derstand that T nm in tlie chair. . There is no motion before the meeting, Councillor Chapman: I rise to a point of order, sir. You cannot object, ns the motion lias already been seconded. A mixed discussion followed, when Councillor Green moved that (he lottcr be received nnd oie writer of the letter notified that the council could not sec its Tvjiy clear to do anything-in thp matter. Councillor M. Tracey seconded tho motion. Councillor Chapman then moved an amendment .that the letter lav on the table. This was seconded by Councillor Hobertshaw. The -Mayor then put-'the amendment, which was .lost, the Mayor voting with the "noe;," with Councillors Green and Tracpv, against Councillors Robcrtshaw and Chapman. The motion wns then put and carried on the Mayor's vole. 4 . . , ■At the conclusion of the meeting a Dominion reporter asserWined from tho town clerk that the council had power to deal with ?uch matters as coal supply, as they hnd power to act as coal merchants and power to retail coal, coke, etc.