West Coast Seeks Tax On Oils To Aid Coal

Press, Volume CI, Issue 30004, 13 December 1962, Page 20

West Coast Seeks Tax On Oils To Aid Coal

(From Our Own Reporter)

GREYMOUTH, December 12. A meeting of the West Coast Co-ordinating Committee decided at its initial meeting in Greymouth to request the Government to impose a tax of 2d a gallon on diesel and furnace .oils, the revenue to be used to assist the coal industry, and the deduction to be made from the profits to oil companies The Mayor of Greymouth (Mr F. W. Baillie), who presided, said he considered the committee to be the most important in the province. It was there for the development of the West Coast, and nothing was of more vital concern at the moment. Anything the committee could do to foster new industries, or to improve established industries, would have to be done promptly. The recommendation to the Government reads as follows: “That in view of the anom-

alous position of having residual oils dumped on the New Zealand market at prices designed to capture markets now supplied by coal, this meeting calls upon the Government to impose a tax of 2d a gallon, the same tax to apply to diesel oils. The cost of the tax to be borne by the oil companies, and the proceeds to be used to assist the coal mining industry."

It was also resolved to ask the Government to devote £lO million towards the promotion of industry on the West Coast. During the course of the debate, Mr S. Gladstone described the West Coast as “a depressed area.” When asked to withdraw this statement, Mr Gladstone remarked, “I said it, and even if there are people here who don’t agree with what I say, I am sticking to it I say if the Coast is not a depressed area now. it will be in a few months unless the Government does something soon.” When the Mayor said he would prefer to call the West Coast a “static” area, Mr Gladstone replied, “I have a son-in-law who works in a coal mine. He finished work tonight until God knows when some time after Christmas. I’d say, if we are not a depressed area now, we will be in a few months.” Upon the suggestion of Mr C. R. Wylde (Mayor of Runanga) it was resolved to approach the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Marshall) with a proposal that the feasibility of establishing

an electric furnace on the West Coast for the treatment of mineral ores in a steel industry be investigated. Tailing Of Crayfish In connexion with a proposal that the tailing of crayfish at sea be prevented, Mr Gladstone claimed that, if such action were taken, 30 West Coast fishermen could lose their livelihoods. He said the fish lived for a maximum of two days after being taken from the water. In hot weather the life span of the fish out of water was reduced to a bare eight hours. The steaming time from the crayfish grounds, in the Fiordland area, to Greymouth was two days. It would not be feasible for Greymouth fishermen to bring their catches into Grey, mouth for tailing, said Mr Gladstone. Even if the merchants established a factory in the Haast or Jackson's Bay area, fishermen here would lose because they would bet barely a quarter of the price they were getting now, Mir Gladstone added.