GOAL SHORTAGE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10272, 6 May 1919, Page 5

GOAL SHORTAGE

POSITION DOWN SOUTH

REPORTED TO BE NOT SO SERIOUS. Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, May 5. In vostigationa into the coal supply made to-day go to show that merchants and others do not share Sir James Allen’s fears of a serious shortage. Though the yards are fairly bare it is anticipated that sufficient supplies will come, to band to enable the industries to keep going and household requirements to be met. The manager of the Gas Company says that while they are living from ' hand to mouth as elsewhere. ho is confident that they will pull through even if it is by the skin of their teeth. . The freezing works have sufficient reserve stocks to carry them along for four to six weeks, and other prirnary Industries are in the same position. Even if supplies were entirely cut off they are all connected with Lake, Coleridge, which makes them independent of steam power. With regard to the railways, there is stated to be sufficient reserve to maintain normal services for two months.

POSITION IN DUNEDIN

Prcsr a™—'-n-m DUNEDIN. Mav 5.

Tlie coal shortage in Dunedin is acute and coal merchants have decided to limit orders' for household purposes to lots of four bags. Tho coal trade committee urges tho greatest economy in consumption, otherwise the public will probably experience serious inconvenience during the cold wea.ther. The citv gasworks, which had only two days' supnlv of coal, has obtained temporary relief as a result of representations to the Monitions and Smrplies Department which has arranged for a supply of un to 200 tons of Xewcastle coal from the Railway Department to beer* the works going until the arrival of the Kini at the end of the week. This quantity will keep the works going for about a week.