SHORTAGE OF COAL

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10640, 22 May 1912, Page 5

SHORTAGE OF COAL

1 .DISCUSSED BY BOROUGH COUNCU. The questi'G'n tf the .shortage of coal eamu up before the M'asterton Borough Coiiincil last evening, when (the manager of the Municipal- Gasvworks brought (forward his report. Mr Blackmail repo'rted that an fecute shortage of ccai had existed for some 'weeks ,past, and the regular supplslcls had -not inee-ii ccming to hand in ti'ceordaince hvitdi the Borough contract. He had written to the .Westport Company in refarence to the matWn on .several' occasions, 'and had been informed that there was a general shortage 'of coal throughout the country at the present time, and they were amiable to supply t'lie demand. Another difficulty was iilie shortage of trucks for trar.i 1 porting teal, and also the lack r.f :-.ufncu::it labour, all of .which go to imaKo the con I trou'bTe :aoute in different (parts of the eminifcry. The manager con tinned that the I-supplies were 300 tons behind jvquireiirJante, and the. positi n .in connection flttli the (Gasworks might assume a -stlxouis. aspect, unle&'i the position, was .relieved, and dor t|his reason he oonisiidered that'the seJir.g of coal by the 'Borough Council was not a wise piMicy ■at the pre-sent time. ■Or o''Lea.ry was of the opinion that .a Government coal depot would sooner or later Ibe instituted at Musterton, .aV.d would pTo'ba.bly get over the diffi.culty. Or Temple isaid that the present shortage of coal was due. in his opinion.,' to the coal strike in England, repiiltting in ocean-goin-g steamers t'aking heavy applies of coal (from New Zea(Jand]' .and he considered it would t;ike so mis months for the trouble to be adjusted. It 'was finally decided that no more .coal he sold from the Municipal G'asotforks ■v'wt.'il the supply improves, and .that the matter be left iin the hands of the manager of .the Gasworks. '