COST OF COAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3091, 23 May 1917, Page 6

COST OF COAL

FACTORS ON THE INCREASES ' STATEMENT BY THEMINE OWNERS In amplification of the statement issued by the Mine Owners' Association i(tolegrapbed from Auckland), the sccrevtary of the association (Mr. W. Pryor) yesterday gave a reporter information as "to how the increased charges to the householder were arrived at. The Miners' I'ederation in its statement said: "While the cost of production has increased to the coal-owners by Bd. a ton, they have exacted a tribute of Bs. a ton from the consumer." In tho first place, Mr. Pryor pointed out that there .was a big distinction between the cost of the coal at the mine and the port of shipment, and the cost for final delivery to the householder. Taking coal from Westport- and Greymouth, which are the main sources of supply for Wellington, tho case of two mines -will illustrate the exact-position. For the period ended March 31," 1917, the prjco in one of the mines was raised by Is. 7.17 d. per ton on the average at the port of shipment, while tho cost of production had increased by 2s. 6.7 id. per ton, almost Is. more than the extra charge. In another case where tho price had been advanced 2s. per ton at of shipment the cost of production had been increased by 2s. 2d. Following the latter case to the point of delivery to the consumer, what had happened was (hat the cost of production had increased by 2s. 2d. (for labour,and materials) to March 31, 1317. The "go-slow" policy, resulting in a very serious decrease in output, war, responsible for a further advance of 2s. per ton in the cost of production, making 4s. 2d. To this had to be added increased shipping charges of 4s. per ■ton, which had to bo paid by the mineowner to 'the shipping companies to cover advances in pay to officers, seamen, watersiders, and others. This made the total extra cost "of production and shipment for delivery in Wellington Bs. 2d. per ton to the mine-owner. In this -particular case the company had charged Bs. per ton extra to 'the wholesale merchants, so that 2d. was not passed on. The retailer who obtained, his supplies from the wholesale dealer had recently had to pissJde for increased wages to drivers and increased cost of -upkeep of plant, 'supplies of material, etc.. so that manifestly he could not charge less than Bs. extra. "With regard to .the profits of mining companies," Mr. Pryor continued, "out of twenty-two registered companies, in the Dominion only five paid dividends last year. It might be stated for the information.of the public that if mine owners could obtain a profit of Is. per ton on all coal mined they would be perfectly satisfied with the result. All these facts can be substantiated, and, as has been stated previously, the mins owners' aro prepared to submit them for investigation by the Board of Trade, so that it is apparent that there has been no exploitation. On the contrary, in many cases the increased cost of production has not been wholly passed on to the public."

WHAT ARE-THE SUPPLIES STATEMENT BY THE.JION. A. M. MYERS. "Presumably the miners, have discarded the 'go-slow' policy," said the Hon. Arthur M. Myers to a reporter yesterday, "and are now turning; out the normal output, although I cannot speak definitely until I get the returns', which will he furnished me at the end of the month." The Minister gave some interesting details of our coal supplies. For the period from January to April this year the importations of coal amounted to 143,165 tons, including; 31,415 tons, for the Admiralty, as against 94,b77 tons for the corresponding; period of 1916. . The importations of coal for the past three years had been as" under:—l9l4, 518,070 tons; 1915, 353,171 tons: 1916, 293,956 tons. The output of the principal mines in New _ Zealand from January to April of this year had amounted to 515,142 tons, as compared with 637,155 tons for the corresponding period of 1916.