COAL SUPPLY GROWS.

Taihape Daily Times, 20 August 1919, Page 4

COAL SUPPLY GROWS.

"THREE SHIPS UNLOADING. ; - FIVE OTHERS EXPECTED. Three cargoes of coal, totalling over 14,000 tons,, are being discharged at Auckland at present_ The large Shaw, Savill and Albion steamer Otira is putting.out 7200 tons at the Kfilg‘s W‘hz-Irf, the btwquentino E. R. Stirling 4300 tons -at the Central Wharf, and the Kaituna 2700 tons at Chelsea and ‘Auckland.

Five more vessels are listed to bring coal to this port from various places. Two of the vessels are en route to Auckland and three are either loading or going to load. The troopship Ma.mari, due’ from Engl_an_d to-morrow evening, has coal on board from America to be discharged here, but the quantity has“ not been _st.ated.T The schooner North'ern Chief, which left Newcastle on August-11, is due here" at the end of the month with about 400 tons of coal. ,

The Union.-Company’s steamer Karori is to commence loading a full cargo of coal at Newsastle for Auckland to-day, and should arrive here time/time next Week. The Katoa is booked to load a full cargo at Westport at the end of this. week, and should reach Auckland about the following Wednesday. The Rakanoa. 1s expected to commence loading at Westport to-day, but only a part of her coal will be for here, as She discharges quantities at Napier and Gisborne before coming to Auckland. ‘AFTER-STRIKE PROSPECTS.

In Vif‘\V of the possibility of the niai-iti:_-.g strike in Australia being definitely settled at an early date, a press representative interviewed the Hon. Arthur Myers Minister, in charge of the coal control branch in Wellington, with the object of finding Out 110 W the coal position in New Zealand would be affected by a. settlement of the dispute referred to. Mr Myers said that as far as the coal actually in sight was concerned, he had already given detailed particulars in a statement, which was published on August 10, showing that this amount was then 67,187 tons. It was naturally hoped that this quantity would be further augmented in consequence of the settlement of the strike, and to this end he had already communicated with the Union Steam Ship Company asking to be informed of the number of further ships which would -be immediately available for dispatch to Newcastle for the purpose of loading coal for New Zealand. Of course it had to be remembered that some of the Federal States are in dire need of coal, as well as New Zealand, and there ,will consequently be a. rush for loadings. It was hoped, however, that ’New Zealand would be able to get a fail‘ share of the accumulated stocks at the mines awaiting shipment, and every effort would bemade to, lift as much

as was available for the Do_minioll.,lli this.connection Mr Myers s‘rated that. he had already approached the Australian "authorities with the. abject of finding out to what extént siipplies £°4r New Zealand would be affected \vl'l‘é‘n shipping becomes normal on the “other side,” but no reply had yet been received.