DEAR COAL

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 303, 20 December 1913, Page 8

DEAR COAL

UNNECESSARILY RAISED FRIGES. DEALERS BLACKLISTED. (.By Telegraph.—Pness Assoedat-lon.) C__CSTC_CROII, this day. With the advent of the strike came •many things disagreeable to the householder. One was'tbe shortage of sugar, which at once interfered with domestic eco-ooiy, and anotb.er was the rise in the price of household coal. The price was raised on two eaccasions, once from 39/ per ton to 45/. and on November 26 from 45/ to 52/, le;;s 2/ a ton discount for cash. These were evidently decided upore by the North Canterbury Coal Merchants' Association, a body which appears to control the retail selling prices in the city; at least, it has n rule to the effect that any member not obeying the Association's decisions may be asked to forward an explanation, and provision is made for the appointment of arbitrators to settle disputes. It circulates a " black list " for the benefit of uiemben;. and is said to represent the great .majority of the coal merchants in ■the district. When the strike came, some of the merchants held fairly large stocks, and the decision to raise prices did not appear to them a,s reasonable. ■Sonic of them refused to comply, and as a restrif;, it is alleged, they are being boycotted to a certain extent. One coal merchant i-peaking to a reporter, said that he haei a fair supply of coal when the strike was declared. He had paid the usual price for it, and could not see his way to charge his customers increased price- for the supplies for which he bad paid the usual price. It would be time enough to increase the cost to th-e customer when the cost to the dealer was increased. That view did not commend itself to- the Association or the executive, and, as a result, be could not buy coal even for cash. Fortunately he could get Kaitu-ga-ta coal, but not Newcastle. Westport and Blackball coal was not available, euiel he could not say whether or not- that would be" available. Tbe facts of the case, could be summed up by saying that members who obeyed the Association's dictate could get coal; those who, like himself, refused to raise the price, could not. He paid cash always, but that did not alter tbe position. It had been stated that he was not to get coal bi?cause lie did not obey the rules of the Association. He was hopeful of getting Westport coal later on.

Asked if his business had suffered, the dealer said that hie; customers had been very loyal to him. Some had said, "»Send along some wood and so.Tie Kaitangata, and we will manage all ri;:ht." and many had assured -him that they would stand by -him right through.

Anotiicr dealer, when spoken to, said that some of the increases decided upon were not justified. Kaitangata coal did not cost a single penny more to land in Christchureh because of the strike. Yet the cost bad been increased from 9/6 per quarter-ton to 11/, with a 6d. reduction for cash.

A third dealer said that, with others, he had refused to charge the higher prices for coal, which had been landed in the yard at the usual rate. Old customers had bought coal at the regular price, but newcomers—people anxiou3 to get in big supplies by ordering from many different firms—bad been charged the increased price. When the strike came he had good stocks, and he decided not to make the increased cost. The Association sent round circulars, giving the new scale of prices, but until -he had to pay more ho did not charge his regular customers more. The Association's proposal did not strike him as being a fair tiring for nil. The retail coal merchants were in a peculiar position. The whole sale busi ness was in tlie 'hands of three or four furms, and they could fix a selling price, leaving the retailer no very large margin to work on.

"I -hear that :they have blackballed mc, but I don't know yet for certain," said a large retail d-ealcr. "I had a good 6tock when the trouble began, and I would not put up the prices till I had to pay more." The dealer said he was certain that they could not block him from getting coal: they might cut off Newcastle supplies, but he would still get coal.