THE COAL QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1919, Page 3

THE COAL QUESTION.

-THE OUTLOOK IMPROVED STATEMENT BY THE HON. MYERS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Hon. A. Myers to-day gave details of the coal shipments now in ll sight. Three weeks ago he enumerated the steps arranged to bring 45,000 tons of Australian and 20,000 tons #f American coal. Some of these ships have, arrived and have been discharged. Unfortunately there were* several cases in which labor difficulties hampered the carrying out of the proposed shipments. One of these were the Waitomo arrangements, which were made to bring across from Newcastle 0500 tons of coal, 4500 being for the lta.ilway Department. She was compelled to lay up in Dunedin owing to inability to get a crew to take her across to Australia. This represents a big loss to the supplies of coal avail-, able in the Dominion, as subsequent trips of the vessel would have meant aft addition cargoes of an equal quantity. The coal carrier Ngakuta could also have heen steadily engaged in the Newcastle trade if it. had been possible to get her crew to take her lo Australia aaa-in. Another case in point is that of the Inga, which has been lying at Wanganui for soma time now with a quantity of coal still on uoard. It is true the waterside workers have taken off 200 tons of this cargo to enable the Wanganui Gas Company to keep going, but they have so far refused to handle the remaining 900 tons. The Walpori also was held up temporarily in Newcastle owing to crew difficulties. The Waihora has been laid up for two months at Newcastle fully loaded with coal (5000 tons) owing to inability to get a crew. The Rakanoa is another vessel that would be employed on the Newcastle run were it possible to obtain a crew.

The English Shipping Controller was approached with a view to endeavoring to arrange for all tonnage to bring supplies of coal botli from America and Australia cn route to New Zealand, but lie could not assist, as no tonnige remaining under requisition was available for bringing coal from America and Australia to New Zealand, [and in the present circumstances it was not possible to requisition tonnage specially for this purpoie, Notwithstanding, the difficulties, said •Mr. Myers, every effort was being made to secure all the available space for the carriage of coal to New Zealand. Detailed information of : shipments at present actually in sight is as under:— From Newcastle, Union Steamship Company's vessels: Wanaka, due August 14,'3200 tons; Kaituna, August 14, 2600 tons; Waiporo, August 10, 2700 tons. Wanakfl, August 27, 3200 tons; Kauri, August"24, 4400 tons. Overseas vessels: Otira, August 12, 7250 tons; 15. M. Stirling, August 12, 4000 tons; Waiwera. August 20, 800 tons; Essex, August 0. 3000 tons; Durham, August 17, 3000 tons; Port Victor, August 20, 3000 tons; Zealandic, August 18-20, 2000 tons. Total 39,250 tons.

From America; Human, August, IS. 4085 tons; Tropic, August 20, 'JOOO tons; Kumara, September 8, 5000 tons; City of Winchester, September 0, 3000 tons: Westmeath, August 24, 4280 tons: Masiila, August 30, 49GG tons. Total 27,937 tons. Grand total: 07,187 ions. Tn addition to the above figures, the following steamers, which are at present engaged on the New Zealand coast, will be despatched to Newcastle when the maritime strike is concluded: The Kaoa, Koroinika, Kaitangnta, Kaipoi, Waitomo, and Rakanoa. The quantity at present in sight from overseas allocations to the railways represent 50,587 tons.