COAL SHORTAGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 January 1920, Page 4

COAL SHORTAGE.

POSITION IN NEW PLYMOUTH, SMALL SUPPLIES ELSEWHERE. \ Some anxiety has been felt in New; Plymouth during the past few days in regard to coal supplies. Inquiry yesterday confirmed the reported shortage, though it is not anticipated there will 4 be any inconvenience to the general publie, provided of course, care is exercised during the next few days. The failure of the watersiders to work after a certain hour on Christmas Eve, resulted in a considerable quantity of coal being carried over, byiv vessel then in port, to Nelson. An*' other boat with coal, which was to have come to New Plymouth, wag diverted to Wanganui,

The New Plymouth Gas Company is confident of being able to meet the demands made upon it until the end of the week, when the Kittawa is expected here from the West Coast, with a full cargo of coal for thia port. "We are down to ounces," said a Welllngiton coal dealer, when questioned regarding the present acute shortage of coal. These words appear to sum up the whole position as far as Wellington is concerned. Coal for household purposes is unobtainable, and dealers during the past few days have been mainly engaged in turning hundreds of orders down.

The position is also very acute in Auckland, the reason given by the Auckland Star being that the abnormal amourit of travelling done during th« last few weeks has ploced an added strain on the coal stores. To & Star reporter a Union Company official made the following statement: "Lack of colliers is responsible for this shortage, as there seems to be plenty of coal obtainable over the other side. But all our vessels are working absolutely full time, and we find it impossible to place anything additional on the New Zealand to Newcastle run."