THE COAL SHORTAGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 July 1918, Page 4

THE COAL SHORTAGE.

STATEMENT BY MINISTER. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night Hon. A. M. Myers, referring to the distribution of coal, says that the figures submitted by the Government Statistician show a steady depletion of stocks throughout the Dominiop. The shortage of fuel was most felt in hard coal supplies, and this was being met by encouraging a more extensive use of lig* nite coals. Every enterprise concerned had readily lent itself to the directione he had found it necessary 1o make, and this attitude on the part of consumers largely contributed to the fact that no activity so far had ceased to operate foi lack of coal. Under war conditions tlu greatest difficulty was being experienced in securing sufficient tonnage to supplement the requirements of the New Zealand coal consumers. As a result this concentration of a substantial proportion of the tonnage available on the carriage of coal from Newcastle was necessary, and this action was correspondingly felt in the inability of the shipping companies to give their fullest attention to some other lines, notably hardwood.