FREIGHT ON COAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 33, 9 February 1937, Page 11

FREIGHT ON COAL.

J RECENT INCREASE. I INVESTIGATION ARRANGED. i I STATEMENT BY MINISTER. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) J CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. j Following the decision of shipping ; companies to increase their coastal rates I for the carriage of coal, the Minister of J Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, said to-day I that he had deemed it advisable to refer the whole question of freight rates to the Minister of "Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, for I investigation under the Industrial Efficiency Act. i The Minister said that the increase ranged from 2/0 a ton to 3/0 a ton at the different ports. 1 'Thave as yet received no advice as to any increase in freight rates on I imported coal," the Minister added. "The local increases, therefore, will have an important bearing on the economic use I of New Zealand coals, particularly for i gasmaking and steaming purposes as ■ compared with imported coals." I Pending completion of the investigaj tion under the Industrial Efficiency Act, j Mr. Webb said, the State Coal Mines I Department, in common with private coalmining companies, would meet the I additional charges, but would be forced I to pass them on to the consuming public las it was quite impossible for the j industry to carry the extra charges.