COAL SUPPLIES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 284, 25 August 1921, Page 6

COAL SUPPLIES

PLENTY IN WELLINGTON. It is eafe to say that there is more oclal in Wellington, at present than there ever has been in the history of the city—a striking contrast to the conditions which prevailed a year ago. As far as the City Council is concerned, it has sufficient, coal in Wellington to-d-ay to supply the needs of its greely powerstation furnaces for months to come. The only “fly in the ointment” as far as the city is concerned is that most of the coal now stored in hillocks at the two stations and on the reclaimed land near the foot of Taranaki Street was bought at the top of the market, and it will bo some time before this toppriced coal is worked out. But not e.IF the stored coal on the reclaimed land belongs to the city corporation. The big shipping companies, owing to various circumstances, have accumulated considerable stocks, running into some thousands of tons —coal from America, Newcastle, and the West Coast, with the reduced l services now being run, is likely to prove a serviceable, if expensive, stand-by for a long time to come. As the bulk of this coal was costly to buy in the first instance, the cost to its owners must be considerably increased by the double handling it must undergo before being put into use. Apart from this big hoard the Government hold large stocks of coal at several centres, So that the bogie of a coal shortage is not likely to rear its head for some time to come. On the other hand ’lie fact that big stocks are being held all over the Dominion accounts. to some extent, for tho falling away in shipments from the coal ports of the West Coast.