COAL HELD UP

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 235, 28 June 1919, Page 8

COAL HELD UP

AN ADMIRALTY CONSIGNMENT

WATERSIDE WORKERS CREATE PECULIAR POSITION

'l'ho Wellington waterside workers yesterday held up a large consignment nt' Admiralty coal. Tho collier Komatn, which arrived during the night, .was to havo transhipped about 1350 tons of coal to tho stoanier Barwon, tor the uso ot' warships in Australian waters. Tho Komatn was placed alongside the Jliirwoit yesterday morning, but when a call was made lor labour there was no response. Tho representatives of .tlio waterside workers explained subsc'qfiently that the men refused to handlo-coal for export, at. a time when thero was. a. serious shortage of household supplies in tho city. Tho position is peculiar. The Banvon is an Admiralty collier, which recently landed.a shipment ot Australian coal_at Dunediii. 'this coal was sent to New Zcniand on an undertaking that an equivalent quantity of West-port coal, required'for naval purposes, would bo sent in return. Tho Government is committed therefore, to tho dispatch of the Banvoii with, a full cargo. Tho Barwon was partially loaded at Westport. Sho could not cross the Westport bar with a" full cargo, and therefore came on to Wellington, where sho was to receivo the res!, of the coal from tho Komatn; Abe position taken up by the waterside workers is that they will unload the Ivomata if ho coal is used for local purposes, but they will not-handle it for shipment overseas. It appears that' he waterside workers were willing to t-ranster tno coal to tho Barwon if a. oertain quantity were allotted to monfbers of their union. I'llo piesident of tho Waterside Workers' Union (Mr. .1. Glover) interviewed tho Minister of Munitions and Supplies iHoo. A M.Myors) oil the subject .yesteed iY morning, H&. sfiicl that obout 1 alt tho members of tho union had uo coal in their homes, and some of J-Jiem whs in distress, owing to sickness 111. their families One' man had reported that he had been forced to break up furnituio in order to get a fire m .his house. Mr. Mye-s explained the reciprocal .»J™u«eiiient to Mr. Glover, who repM that tl'.a Barwon's Australian coal had gone_to the South Island, and had not the position in Wellington at all. • The Minister's Explanation. 'The Hon." Arthur Myers, Minister in Charge of Coal Distribution, made a I statement .regarding the Barwon s coal last evening, lie said that this collier ■would never have brought coat to Uie Dominion at all if an equivalent quantity of West Coast coal could not have been guaranteed,lor tho .Admiralty in ieturu. She brought over a full shipment ot' Australian coal, which was allocated to essential industries ill Dunedin. these industries would ■ otherwise have been placed in a very iprccarious position owing to the recent rough weather on tho West Coast having held up colliers for several days. After discharge the Barwon proceeded/to the Coast to loud tho return shipment, but on account of her draught had to proceed to Wellington to load tho remainder, some 1300 tons. Messrs. Roberts and Glover, of the \\ ellington Watersiders' Union, "tiled on the Minister yesterday afternoon, ana stated that the watersiders refused to load the Barwon unless they were supplied with GO tons of coal to meet their own domestic requirements. Mr. Myers immediately placed tho question before Cabinet, and it was decided that tho distribution of eolit was to be, as at present, on an equitable basis without (iroference to any flection of the community. In convoying this decision to Messrs. Glover and Roberts, .the -Minister pointed out that I\ew Zealaud had already received ii similar quantity of coal, and was morally bound to fulfil Ms obligations and faithfully' carry out tho compact entered into. On,tho decision of CJabinot being conveyed to tho watersiders, they refused to 'complctl*. the loading ol' the Barwon, and the shipping company decided to dispatch her without tho balance of the coal. The Minister had, therefore, given instruction that 700 tons of. the'.l!loo tons should be allocated for household requirements in AVellington. Other colliers had also arrived from the West Coast, anil ii further 700 tons had. been released, making a total of about I'lflO tons available forthwith, in which watersiders could participate with every other'section of the community. "This, together with what is expected next; week," said Mr; Alyers, "should ■ relieve meanwhile the acute position existing locally."-

GAS COMPANY WINS THROUGH KARAITU DISCHAItGIKGr WEEK'S tiUPVLX. I hanks to tho arrival yestenluy moniin«?.oMJiu collier Karamu, with over M) tons ot (.-ireymoulh coal on board. The collier which, arrived in tho early houro °t tlie morning, was berthed at the Miramar Wharf at 8 a.m., and ail immediate start was made with the discluirgo ul net coal, l'o illustrate how close a call tins Gas Company has hud, Mr. Dougrili Jilie manager), stated yesterday that at u.Ju a.m. yesterday there was only ilOcwt of coal available for gas-making, but tho company was ablo to win through without a cut-oil. 'Hie first few truck loads ot coal from the Karamu were run right into the retort house, so that the shortest period of time was occupied m handling As the company uses lay tons of coal a uay, the [varamu's coal will keep the company fjoing for u week only. Asked as to whether' the public had assisted tho company 111 the crisis' of the, last duy or two bv economising in the demands made', Mr. Dougall was convinced that they hail. On Wednesday a wilt 2,000,00(1 cubic feet of gas were consumed, but 011 .Thursday the cunsumpj lion dropped to 1,500,000 cubic feet. This very considerable difference was partly aoeouutod for by the poor pressure, but a proportion of the "save" was duo to the gas-consuming public going easy, thoie people who. use gas engines 111 connection, witli their plants were kept supplied during the crisis. So far as Mr. Dougall was aware only ouo gasengine had given troublo under tho lowpressure stress, .which was a jjood record. The company officials havo already been congratulated in many quarters at having won through against odds. The Kakapo, with a load of Westport coal ior the Union Steam Ship Company, arrived in port between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. yesterday. _ As. tho Gas Company was supplied by the Karamu it wju3 not necessary to make any demands on the Kakapo's cargo. The colliers Ivaiapoi, Ngahore. and Konmta. with coal cargoes, are also iu port.

CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL

AItBANGINCi SUPPLIES. By Telegraph-Press Association. Christchurch, Juno 27. Tho City Council's Coal Committee lias arranged for COO lons ol' tlio best honscliolil coul to lio shipped from Ureyinonlii to Christchurch. reaching hero at: tlio end of next week. ' It is intended to arrange for similar shipments weekly. As to 1110 distribution of the municipal shipments Hio Mayor' states the coat will be offered to retailers at a price which will allow thein a, I'air profit. If the retailers deolino to take tlio coal' (ho municipal authorities will dispose of it direct to consumcts. ' COAL' I-Olf. SYDNEY' DECUH-ED "BLACK." By Telegraph-Press Association. Greymouth, ,li;ne 27. 'I'lie Statu mines, which luivo been idlo since I'i'iday last, resumed this morning. A stop-workmeeting was held yesterday. It is understood the meeting declared '.'black" five thousand tons of eual consigned to Sydney. WiOTEST OF LYTTET/j'ON WAT]®SiDli WOMKKKB. Christchurch, June 27. .In connection w'ith tho coal shortage, tlio liytteltoii watemide workers decided to. forward a, letter of protest to Sir j .Tames Allen. It was decided that the union would not bo responsible for any action taken by monitors to supply their requirements. It was also decided that all work shall cease at 5 o'clock on Sat- | unlays, tho now rule operating fiom to- ! morrow. J