COIL SITUATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10605, 2 June 1920, Page 6

COIL SITUATION

'STATEMENT BY PREMIER DECREASED OUTPUT AND IMPORTS CAUSE SHORTAGE. hope for wellington people. The Right Hon. the Prime Minister, who is Minister in Charge of the Coal Trade -"Regulations,'furrriihed to a ""Times""' representative j'osterday tlio 'following interesting summary of tho coal situation, which is greatly excrf'cising the minds of many household- ! ers, as well sis of the captains of industry at the present time: —

-'Although -frequent intervale statistics illustrating the serious decline in the production of-coal in the Dominion have been published, it is ad-i-isabie, at \tno ,, "pfc&eis£.'''juncture, in order to clear up any misapprehension that vmay exist, again .to direct the ■attention- of. the public to tho actual figures, so. tha.t tlie difficulties being experienced may be- readily appreciated. To do'this"it is necessary to go back to the -year 1-914, when conditions were f-n'orartal'so far- as the'production, and. inipprta.tion .of coal were concerned." " OUTPUTS AND IMPORTS.

In tho year the total output of tho New Zearand mines was 2,275,593 tons, "while the imports of I coal amounted to" 5,18,070 tons, makI ing a' total 'of 2,793,663. For 1915 the I figures were 2,203,624, 353,471, and I 2,562,095 .. respectively, ..showing a deQre'aseV..b'f '._. 231,56$ . topi;' for 1916, ,2,25 X 135,. ;-crqase,.ll,oQ4).;. -for-1917, 2,068,419, 291,597 y and -2.360,016 (decrease 191,075)"; for 1918, 2;034,250. 255,332, and 2.289,582 (decrease 70,434); and for T 919/ " T.S47,'S4S ) ~.' \".445,494 and 2,303,342 "(incrbasp ''13,76b) ; making a _neY_decrease* f of, ,49 0,32,1, tons.

..'.'•.lt, will./thus be! Keen, that, taking the combined outputs and importations for the above period—taking eacli year separately—there has been a net loss'to the Dominion, up-to December 31? t, 1919, of iio less than 490,321 tons. The most serious aspect, however, is the steady decline in the production of bituminous and semi-bitu-minous -coal -in the New Zealand mines, on which'the Dominion largely depends -for' carrying on its shipping, freezing, gasworks,, pjiblio services, a'tad <*.«isr' essential industries for vfhich' this class of coal is alone suitable. SERIOUS DECREASE OF HARD COAL.

• The following statement affords a striking illustration of the serious position the Dominion has drifted into in consequence of the falling-off of hard coal:—

Outputs of New Zealand bituminous and semi-bituminous coal. —1914, 1,494,315 tons; 1915, 1,404,400 tons (decrease 89,915>; 1016, 1,422,047 tons (increase 17,647); 1917, 1,247,939 tons .xaecfease 174;058); 191 S, 1,122,308 tons ( decrease 125,681); 1919,' 961,107 tons ' (decrease, 161,201); net decrease, 533,208 tons. "To the above net loss of 533,208 tons in hard coal produced by the New. Zeahnd collieries, there must bo added 62,576 tons, which represents . the net decrease in the quantity of hard coal imported during the same period, making a total shortage of this class of coal, from the year 1914 to the end of 1919, of 595,784 tons, which is more than equal to half the quantity of hard coal mined in New Zealand for the year 1919. '500,000 TONS LOST IN FIVE YEARS. /With'a .joss of "over half a million toii's in fiVe*yearsj "and 'having regard to the increased-consumption of our railways, shipping, and industries arid other' public services, it will be. readily'understood that enormous. * have teen experienced in allocating "supplies in order HtiPiaVbid any curtailment" or stoppage 'iri''the w activ'ities indicated, and at the same time- pro vide, "* as"* far as possible, far the reasonable "requirements of Tipusehbldejrs. In this latter connection, however, experience has shown that coal allocated to gas and electric power reSfll "STlarger number 15T~1fousc_EoTcTS 'beTiig'givcn facilities for- cooking and '/Seating purposes ■ than-would, be, the case if an eqiiiva--lent -quantity -of coal' were allocated direct' to householders through tho usual channels. ' Tn' the case of gas--W6"fm;""im a *Ht *coar"carbonised reJifeuiO which in poses ana. for generating power.

-;-It might : bo-a»- ; wolK«ab-this stage, to indicate the approximate annual consumption of some of our main services and industPies. nvfrictraie as follow: Railways,"3oo"o(JCTtons; 'gasworks, 250,000 tons; freezing works, 150,000 tons; shipping, 500,000 tons; electric light and power 80,000 tons; making a total ~of 1,280,Q0J) .tons, wbic;h exceeds the .production iOf hard coaj in; the Dominion for 4he year-JOIQ-fay 318,893 tons. This will clearly indicate that, had it not. been for the special efforts'made .by _tho.„G J pveTnmenit tp increase impornational ..crisis would havo been inevitable, as. taking tho year 1919 as compared with tho previous year/importations wore increased from 'ioS',332 tons to 455,494 tons—an increase) of 200.1G2 tons. Or, to put the matter another way,- if the importations'"for 1919 "had 'been on a parity "wltli'the* p°rS vidua "year, we would not have had" sufficient' hard coal to havo met.the demands Of the five- main industries and services enumerated above. ; EFFECT OF "GO SLOW."

Unfortunately, the figures of the first four months of the current year (January Jsb, to ApnT ,30th) in comparison with the ,w'mo..period of last year, disclose a- further decrease in the outputs of bituminous and tjemi-bituminou's coals from tho principal New Zealand mines of 57,000 tons; but, fortunately. importaitions during the same period were increased by 48,000 tons, leaving a not decrease to April 30th last of approximately 9000 tons^ It will bo remembered, however, that tho "go-slow" policy which was inaugurated, in September Jjist. was only terminated at the end of February Inst, and the doorcase recorded in New Zealand mines up to April 30th is largely accounted for by this factor. But it is satisfaotory to note tliat since the termination of the "go-slow" i-policy. movement there lias) been a considerable improvement in the production' of co.aj-;, on.tho. Wcsfc Coast and in ; the other, mines of the Dominion. [ While it is very gratifying to record an | improvement La recent months, it is

regrettable that other factors have considerably more than counterbalanced such increases. WHEAT OR COAL? For example, skipping tonnage has had to be provided to lift tho Dominion's purchase of wheat, which at the present time is utilising shipping to the extent of 12,000 tons per month, and this had to be provided from tonnage usually engaged in the carriage of Newcastle coal. " In addition to this Admiralty requirements for West-port coal have to be met to the extent of approximately 5000 tons per month; and requisitions in hand for bunkering supplies for overseas steamers allotted to New Zealand for tho carriage of frozen produce amount to close on 12,0C0 tons of coal for the month of June; while other steamers will, in addition, have to be provided for on arrival Zealand' waters. It is trusted, however, that the shipping nrrnnnroments made will result in the whole of the wheat purchased by New Zealand being lifted .by the end of June, when the tonnage thus released will be available for the carriage of coal from Newcastle. RESERVES DEPLETED.

Owing to the steady decline in tho production of hard coals and the frequent stoppages at the source of supply, industries generally have been unable to build up reserve stocks. Consequently they are entirely dependent on regular weekly shipments to enable them to carry on operations. In thi« connection the geographical position of the West Coast mines is a very important factor, inasmuch as nil coal produced has to be transported by sea.; so that any delavs to shipping duo to bars being unworkable, bad wrather at discharge ports, or other causes affecting the movements of. steamers, result in industries and other services being placed in a serious position for supplies, and at this time of the year such delays have to be contended with almost weekly. Under such conditions it will be readily appreciated how difficult- a matter it is to provide regular and adequate allocations to meet tho immediate requirements of the various users of eoaL. DOMESTIC REQUIREMENTS. A careful scrutiny of tho figures quoted will clearly indicate to tho public the impossibility, at tho present time, of increasing the allocation of coal for household purposes Without seriously interfering with the operations of important industrial concerns and public services on which the prosperity and progress of the Dominion so largely depend. It should bo realised that tho shortage of coal is universal throughout tho Dominion, and is not confined to anyparticular locality, and if the insistent demands of some districts_ now being made were acceded to, it could only "be done by withdrawing supplies from others where the shortage' is just as acute. The position is being very carefully watched by the Coal Control Department; and the Coal Trade Committees in the four centres are doing their utmost to distribute all coal arriving in their respective districts so as to avoid, so far as possible, any tinduo hardship to tho public. HOUSEHOLD COAL FOR WELLINGTON.

Special arrangements have been made to provide a full shipment of household coal for distribution throughout the Wellington province, moro particularly to enable small reserves to be formed in Wellington and other towns in the area controlled by the Wellington Coal Trade Committee to meet urgent cases of sickness and other pressing emergencies. _ The steamer fixed for this purpose is the b.s. Kaiapoi (2500 tons), which is duo to load at the West Const porta this week.

In conclusion, Mr Massey stated tb.it he felt sure that now the public were fnlly acquainted with tho critical position the Dominion has been placed in with regard to coal supplies, owing to reasons well known to everyone, they will more readily accept—as thev have done in the past—tho unavoidable restrictions which have> had to bo imposed on the delivery of coal for domestic use, realising that the stops taken am in tho best interests of all concerned. THREE DAYS' SUPPLY MASTER-TON'S PROBLEM. GASWORKS MANAGER SUGGESTS CONFERENCE. (By Telegraph—Special to "Times.") MASTERTON, Juno 1. The gasworks manager reported to the meeting of the Masterton .Borough Council to-night that owing to gales, etc., the working of coal steamers has been much interrupted, with tho result that there was only sufficient in stock to carry on till Friday or Saturday next. Tho Coal Controller, however, had promised a supply from the steamer Komata and in the meantime the manager had urgently wired, asking that coal from some other Bourco be forwarded to keep the works going. He understood that tho Waihora would arrive in Wellington that day, and the council would get a supply from that boat. Tho gasworks manager, speaking on the subject, said that the position was most unsatisfactory.- Masterton was not the only place which was suffering through not being able to obtain coal, as Petono - and Palmerston North, among other local bodies, were in the same position. The matter was of suoh urgency that he suggested a conference of those local bodies concerned to discuss the matter. Tho Coal Controller was a gentleman who always received them courteously, and did bis best, but they wanted moro than two or three days coal on hand.

It was decided that tho council should communic-ato with interested bodies, suggesting that a conference bo held at "Wellington to du'scliss tho coal question, and asking for their fiupnort of tho proposal. Tho council decided to increase- the prico of gas for power by lOd per thousand feet, and for lighting and cooking by 5d per thousand feet.

Tho Mayor (Mr J. P. Luke) stated yesterday that as soon as the estimates woro preparod tlio City Council's proposals regarding an improvement in tho water supply, provision of a now elootrio power-house, and other matters would bo placed in definite terms before tho ratepayers. Personally, ho had no fear as to tho result as far aa water supply, electric power, and tramway matters were concerned, but thero might bo a difference of opinion between tho council and the ratepayers regarding what might bo termed improvement), schemes. Those schemes ho had specifically named were essential, and the council would not be in a position to accept* it refusal. As with the present tramway and electric lighting loans, a rate would bo struck to provide tho necessary security for the raising of tho loan, but it would not be collected. An additional special rate would be necessary to cover tho watci) works extension.