THE COAL OUTLOOK.

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 84, 11 April 1917, Page 2

THE COAL OUTLOOK.

POSITION IN WELLINGTON

RESERVE STOCKS LOW,

POSSIBLE EFFECT ON RAILWAY

SERVICES

Telegraphing on Monday night, the Wellington correspondent of the Christ-church Press-said:—

Now that the coal strike has developed, the shoi-ta'ge of coal which has existed for a long^ time .may be expected to become serious almost at once.

The Government has available all the infbrcnation that can possibly be obtained regarding the ( supplies of coal in sight and the needs of the Dominion. The investigation has' been made by a special committee set up when the Government took power to control coal at the time of the first "scare," when a general strike (seemed imminent. It is.a■. very good committee, and it may quite safely he assumed that the Government is fully and accurately advised. Three weeks ago the position was grave, and it can scarcely have improved since then. The Minister for Railways, in his speech .in reply to a deputation on Thursday regarding railway services, said very plainly that if the coal shortage became acute the Department would have to make a cut in the services mucli more serious than that already announced. Mr Herries is at present in Auckland, but on his return he will probably wish to discuss with the General Manager and with his colleagues in the. Cabinet the question of whether the new situation created by the strike in, the mines demands a further reduction in services, or the immediate adoption of the timetables prepared for May Ist. In Wellington the electri<\ light and power plants need reserve 'stocks of real, which the authorities have for a long time been trying without success to obtain. The contractors have not been able to give them the supplies provided for in their contracts, and they have been buying coal in any quantities procurable, even in ouite small quantities. They are not likely to be able to continue the running of the tram services, without curtailment, for very many weeks. It is understood that the Gas Company has not its customary safe reserve supplies. There must be other centres in which the 'position, is even worse than in Wellington. The State coal depot here has been unable for some weeks tb give immediate delivery of coal. Before the strike was announced it was not possible to get delivery of household coal from the State depot in less than a fortnight.