FIREWOOD SUPPLY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10603, 31 May 1920, Page 5

FIREWOOD SUPPLY

ACTIVITIES OF STATE DEPOT.

REVIEWED BY PREMIER

An interesting review of the activities of the btatc Firewood Depot in Wellington was given by tho Prime Minister in tho course of a conversation with a “Times” representative on Saturday. The depot, stated Mr > Massey, was opened for tho sale of firewood to the general public on July Ist, 1919, and the quantity of wood received into the yard, up to Marchi 31st, 1920, was 1830 cords. Tho sales during the same period amounted to 1013 cords, leaving a balance in the yard as at March 31st of 817 cords. The value of tho sales for the period amounted to £3873. In the month of April the sales totalled 237 cords (valued at £1365), of which orders representing lid cords were received through the medium of the city imfl. suburban post offices. The sales in April exceeded in.value those of any previous month by approximately £SOO. The average quantity of wood being delivered daily at present is some 450 bags, or 10 cords. When tho depot was first established provision was made for three cir-cular-saws driven by steam; but, owing to tho large increase in the business, it lias been found necessary to install also two clcctrically-drivcn saws and a potroUdriven saw. In addition, tho Coal Control Department has recently purchased another steam engine capable of driving three saws, which when in operation will make a total of nine saws capable of sawing approximately 35 to 40 cords per day. In. order to cope with tho increased business the original shed at tho depot has bad to be extended by about 50 feet, and through the co-operation of tho Wellington Harbour Board an additional area of land adjoining tho depot has been mado available for stacking wood.