THE COAL SHORTAGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 June 1919, Page 8

THE COAL SHORTAGE.

THE MINISTER'S SUGGESTIONS, j By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. A conference has been held between Mr. Myers and the members of the Overseas Shipping Committee and the New Zealand Federated Shipowners' Association in connection with the present scute shortage of coal. The Minister drew attention to the imperative need of further efforts being made by the various shipping interests to seenre additional vessels to bring coal from Newcastle or other sources en route to New Zealand; also for overseas steamers to arrange to obtain sufficient bunker coal fit their last coaling port to enable them, Bot only to provide for their requirements en route to New Zealand, but also, utter discharge, to enable them to proceed outwards to the first coaling port of call. Mr.; Myers also invited the local Shipowners' Association to consider the question of making available any of the-steamers controlled by them for The Jiarpose of bringing coal from Newcastle. It was pointed out by the Minister that, if .necessity arose, it was, quite possible that representations would have to he made to shipowners to utilise oversea steamers arriving here to proteed to Australia for one or more cargoes of Australian coal, in order to provide 'their own bunker supplies and to help relieve the existing shortage here.Mr. James Findlay, chairman of the Overseas- Shipping Committee, outlined the position from the overseas shipping point -of view. He said he fully realised the gravity of the situation, and would be prepared to co-operate fully with the Minister and his department. Captain Peterson, representing the local owners' association, said with reference to the suggestion pnt forward by the Minister that certain small vessels now employed in»New Zealand waters he utilised to carry coal from Newcastle, his association had gone carefully into this matter, and had come to the conclusion that the very limited carrying capacity of the steamers and the amount of coal consumed on the Toyage rendered the proposal impracticable. *