SERIOUS CEMENT SHORTAGE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 49, 22 November 1920, Page 6

SERIOUS CEMENT SHORTAGE

URGENT NEED OF COAL HOUSING RESTRICTED AND INDUSTRY HAMFERED Householders know how tho shortage of coal has been a grievous nuisance W them in various ways, !>ut the public as u whole may not know tho full extent of the injury to the community caused by the operation ot the "go-slow" policy and the recent strikes of miners. A statement by tho Board of Trade in regard to one very important article, coment,. affected by the diminished output of coal, gives an impressive reminder to the public that the development of New -Zealand is being retarded by dearth of coal.

This is said to bo "the age of concrete." Cement is an essential for all kinds of buildings—even, for those which aro mainly in wood—and cement cannot be produced without coal, which is required in the kilns. One plant in the north, which gets its. power from hydroelectricity, can produce a ton of cement by the combustion of tart, of coal, but. other works, dependent on coal for power, need IGcwf. oi coal for one ton of cement. If the cement works of tho Dominion were able to work at full capacity tho output would bo about 3300 tons a week, but by reason of the shortage of coal tho weekly average for the nine weeks to October 9 was only 1082 tons (barely one-third of" the capacity of the mills). Ono modern plant, flapable of producing 1000 tons of cement a week, has, been idle for a-year, bocaiisu coal has not been available.

It is believed that if sufficient coal had been supplied to keep the cement works going at full capacity the housing problem would havo been well on the way of solution by now, for much | construction could have been done in concrete. But, to-day, ■, thore is not enough coment to spare for «veu tho foundations of wooden houses. Many persons who wished to usp concrete for foundations havo been obliged to have' wooden blocks instead. When the minors reduce the output of coal they throw many men out of employment, nnd cut down tho earnings of many others, whose wdrking hours aro lessened. "Even in regard to cement alone, the coal shortage affects the employment of men nt cfnient mills, bricklayer, plasterers), concrete workers, monumenfel masons, labourers, and others. Industries Cramped. Lack of coment is preventing the establishment of new industries, nnd is delaying the extension of existing plants. For example, a Wellington firm, which received notice to vacate its present premises, was faced with the necessity of building, but as there was no good prospect of adequate supplies of cement, tho firm decided vo close down. A letter signed by all the employees was received by the Board of Trade requesting it to assure sufficient supplies of cement. The board has promised to do its best, but it is not able to give a definite guarantee that the quantity required can bo allocated. New enterprises such its freezing works at Hicks Bay, Wanganui, and New' Plymouth are in urgent need of cement, but they are still waiting for it. Several freezing works require co ment for an enlargement of plant. In more than one mean works the slaughtermen havo refused to start work on the boards until sanitary improvements have been effected, but concrete is necessary for these repairs, and the cement hns not been ob-.mnablo. A company is ready to put up a plant for the conversion' of phosphltic rock into manure (a form of fertiliser needed for many parts of the Dominion to-day), but lack of cement is holding up the enterprise. Concrete is required' for tho bedding of new milking machinory in a number of districts, but shortage of cement com pels a resort to the old order of handmilking. Among the settlers who nro thus handicapped are some returned sol-

diets. A still more serious trouble afflicAs some of the now <lniry farmers. Before thev can supply milk to dairy factories or to people for domestic consumption they nro under statutory obligation to have their byres in good sanitary condition. Concre'ie is necessary, but the concrete waits on cement. Check to Public Works. Railway works are having a serious nold-up ~uv lack of cement. Operations in the Otlra Tunnel have been suspended for three weeks by this shortage. Bridge building 1 is having a dangerous delay. Cement is not yet available for bridges which are necessary to replaco structures that are deemed to bo unsafe. Harbour works at Wellington, Patea, Napier, and Tokomnru Bay are held up by the cement shortage. Shortage of cement also affects things educational and religious, for this dearth restricts building oporations for schools, colleges, and churches. It all goes back to coal. More coal, more cement. More cement, more building, More building, more homes, more industry, more production, .more empioyment, moro prosperity. As the shortage of coal prevents the Dominion's cement mills from meeting the local demand, the 'Government is facilitating the importation of cement by the remission of Customs duty. Even with this remission of re-venue, the cost of the imported article is from M to ,£G a ton above the price of tho local product. The importation means that New Zealand which has the limestone and pfnnt to meet nil local needs, and perhaps have a margin for export, is obliged fo pay dearly for the emplovment of men in the making nnd handling of cement in the United States. Canada. England, Norway, Belgium, nnd Denmark.