PRICE OF GAS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 146, 23 June 1930, Page 10

PRICE OF GAS.

BURDEN ON IMPORTED COAL.

REPRESENTATIONS .TO TK2 GOVERNMENT,

DEPENDENCE ON AUSTRALIA.

(By Telegraph—Press Association,) TV ELLINGTON, this day. It is understood that representation? have been made to the Government on behalf of pas companies regarding the probable effect of the duty 011 imported coal, the action being the outcome of a movement in the direction of imposing a dumping duty. The ease for the companies as submitted to the Government may be summarised as follow: —First, that no subsidy, bonus or similar Government monetary assistance is given or allowed to exporters of Australian coal to New Zealand, this Dominion, being, "it is stated, regarded a 6 Australia is in respect to the payment of export bountysecond, that it is absolutely necessa'rv under modern conditions of gas-makinc to use a proportion of coal of the character produced in the northern mines of New South Wales and not produced in the mines of New Zealand. Records kept by the Wellington Gas Company, it ta stated, show that since its supplies from Newcastle were cut off output of gas per ton of coal fell from approximately 22,000 cubic feet to 17,000 cubic feet per ton. Additional expense amounting to over £700 per month was incurred by the company through, the carbonising of other than Newcastle coal. The Government's attention is directed furthermore to the competition of fuel oils which are admitted duty free from foreign countries. If a duty is placed on Australian coal, it is stated, there will be no alternative but to raise the price of gas.