SHORTAGE OF COAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 May 1941, Page 4

SHORTAGE OF COAL

POSITION IN MASTERTON. ORDERS LONG OUTSTANDING. Coal has been in pretty short supply in Masterton for the past week or so and unless some relief is forthcoming in the next few days a serious position will result. One firm states that its supplies of coal will be exhausted by the middle of next week. One truck load has been on order for a month and others for three weeks, but so far no advice has been received of any supplies coming' to hand. This firm states that the’ recent strike in (he Waikato has affected the position. Another coal merchant expects three truck loads to arrive on Monday or Tuesday and that this will relieve the position as far as he is concerned. Referring to the above matter. Mr J. Robertson, member for Masterton, said the recent strike at a Waikato mine had no appreciable effect on the output of coal, which was the highest in the history of New Zealand, while.the output per man was also the highest ever known in this country. There were difficulties due to shipping. Mr Robertson stated, in getting coal from the South to the North Island and this had had a considerable effect on the genera! situation, as expansion ol industries had macle a tremendous demand on coal and electric power. Certain essential services had to lie main-. tained and these had first call on sup-| plies of eoai available. As a decreased | quantity of South Island coal \v:is i available in the North Island, a corres-J pondingly greater demand existed iori North island coal ;