29. Bituminous dust. other users were maintained consignment from India.
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Supplies to the power stations and largely from Japan with an occasional
30. Anthracite dust. It was not possible to continue to obtain supplies from the normal source, French Indo-China, owing to Fortunately an deterioration in quality and excessive price. alternative source was secured in South Africa; quality was good and price reasonable.
31. Coke. Of the 3,020 tons received in 1948-9, 2,065 tons came from India and 955 tons from South Africa. Supplies were difficult throughout the year, average consumption being only 300 tons per month against an estimated demand of 600 tons per month. Distribution was, therefore, on a strictly rationed basis and with co-operation from consumers no serious consequences to industry resulted. Even this inadequate flow of supplies dried up at the end of 1948. At 31st March, 1949, stock was 517 tons or No further just over six weeks supply on a restricted basis. supplies were in sight but negotiations had been begun for supplies from the U.S.A.
32. Other sources. No further supplies were received from U.S.A., Canada and Sakhalin. An attempt was made in 1948 to secure supplies from Taiwan but this broke down when the Kailan Mines were lost to the Chinese Government. Trial shipments were made from Dutch Borneo but proved unsatisfactory in quality, Two speculative cargoes arrived from the Communist-controlled Kailan Mines before the end of the year for re-export to Canton; quality appeared to be poor.
33. Prices. The c.i.f. cost of coal fell gradually throughout the year; this was due to the general fall in freight rates rather than in the f.o.b. cost of coal. Freight from Japan, for example, fell from 32/6 to as low as 19/- per ton. These reductions were passed on to the consumers; the selling price of Japanese lump was reduced from $107 to $90, of Japanese dust from $80 to $74, of Indian lump from $110 to $105, and of South African lump from $107 to $103.
34. Discharge. Discharge of coal continued to be carried out Both under the supervision of the Sworn Measurers & Weighers. outturns and rates of discharge were most satisfactory. Average loss over the full year was 1.5%, while despatch money earned on 37 vessels amounted to $484,584. There was only one case of demurrage amounting to $4,771.
35. Storage. The Department continued to rent the Lai Chi Kok Yard and part of the North Point Yard at Mackies Wharf.
36. Contractors. Wang Kee & Co. continued to act as stevedores and contractors throughout the period. Their contract was renewed, under public tender, for the first six months of 1949.
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37. The question of the return of the coal trade to commercial channels was referred to the General Chamber of Commerce, which advised that, as long as there were controls at the sources of supply, it would be difficult and probably undesirable to take this step. An attempt was, however, made to form a consortium of the leading firms to take over the whole coal trade on a co-operative basis as a temporary measure, but it was found impracticable to do so on a basis satisfactory to all interests.
B. Firewood.
38. Reserve stocks of firewood were maintained throughout the year.
75,133 piculs were in stock on 1st April, 1948, no further supplies were received and 9,877 piculs only were sold, leaving a stock of 65,256 piculs at the end of the year. In March the Fuel Controller visited Borneo and Malaya to make arrange- ments for emergency supplies.
Cotton and Rayon Yarn.
89. See Industry Section.
Other Supplies, Imported by Government.
40. No other further supplies of miscellaneous goods were received during the year, but further progress was made with the disposal of goods imported in 1945 and 1946. Stocks of goods of this type at the beginning of the year were valued at $8 million and had been reduced by the end of the year to $33 million. The greater part of the latter sum is represented by woollen vests ordered in error in 1945 under the Relief Programme; efforts were made to obtain authority to re-import these into the United Kingdom but had not yet been successful.
Scarce Supplies, not Imported by Government.
41. Certain scarce commodities, although procured and dis- tributed through commercial channels, remained subject to alloca- tion either on a world or Commonwealth basis, e.g. canned meat, cheese, tin, margarine. In these cases import quotas were secured and allocation between importers was carried out in consultation with the General Chamber of Commerce.
Shipping and Storage.
42. The total volume of imports handled by the Department was 529,983 tons carried in 427 vessels; the total volume of exports was 20,964 tons lifted by 9 vessels. It is noteworthy that in spite of the volume handled there was only one case of demurrage charges either in respect of ocean going vessels or lighters (see para. 34 above).
Storage problems were at times acute, but with
the valuable co-operation of the godown companies, were success- fully solved.
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