"OUR OWN COAL."

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 600, 31 August 1909, Page 6

"OUR OWN COAL."

AND ITS NEWCASTLE RIVAL. TWO HUNDRED MEN PAID OFF. ■ (Bjr. Telegraph—'Press Association.) Wostport,-August 30. : The action, of the Westport Coal Company in discharging some 200 men from- their Granity Creek mine, owing ; to the' slackness of the demand for coal, is. causing a good deal of local agitation,' especially .in viqw of, the fact that the Government! is importing Newcastle . coal ill Melbourne-owilcd steamers 1 for use on the railways. Amongst the reasons for slackness. in the demand are mentioned the good winter in Canterbury, the -shutting down of freezing works, the laying-up of ten of. the'. Union Company's boats, the competition. of Newcastle coal (213,664 tons were landed during the last six months, compared with 192,018 tons for tho corresponding period' of last, year), competition of Waikato coal via tho North Island Trunk line, ■' and general dulK ness of trade in New Zealand." •

■' The Government's importations of Newcastle coal is a particularly soro point, and m many quarters there 'is' a demand for a' protective duty. The Stockton • Miners' Onion," in, view of the widespread distress, passed a motion deploring tho Government's action in, importing Newcastle coal. Tho union considers such action a breach of the trust reposed in a Liberal Government by tho Labqur organisations. : : ■Mr. Colvin, M.l'l, who complained to Mr. llonayne, General Manager of. Railways, of his importing SO,OOO tons from Newcastle, says, that Mr. Itonayne' told him that .he was taking all suitablo coal offering from Stockton and the State mines, but that the Westport Coal Company would not supply orders. Mr. Colvin opposes any - reduction of local' - railway rates to assist in.meeting competition, as the revenue is required to complete the harbour. ■' Mr. .Dow-grey, president of, the Granity Union; says one reason of the shortening of hands is the temporary scarcity of hard coal in the .Granity mine. This difficulty will not be got over until development work now .proceeding is completed. Iho Miners' Federation, he says, will' adv'ocate si reduction of the liaulage rates and • the duty 1 on foreign coal. .' . ■ ■ '

, A public meeting; in -Westport resolved— "That the importation of, Australian coal into' .bite*. Dominion is increasing, that the railways are large purchasers of imported! coal, that tho. mines, in this .'district are working at a reduced; output, owing to the scarcity of orders,. and. that the Westport. Coal Company to-day finds it necessary to ■give 250' coahniners. notico. that their services , aw' no longer required. The meeting further .urges on the Cabinet the. necessity of ...making- lull, and, complete inquiry- into tho reasons that' bring this ;undc'sirable 'state of ' tilings about, and, if. n«;d be, introduce Such legislation as-Will ensure, systematic working of the Dominion's • own 'coar,nitasui'D?." '