NEW COAL TRADE DISTRICTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 10, 6 October 1917, Page 7

NEW COAL TRADE DISTRICTS

BOUNDARIES AND COMMITTEES

GAZETTED

DUTIES OUTLINED

£ Gazette Extraordinary, published Uefc evening, announces the constitution of. the new coal districts under the Coal Trade Regulations, and the appointments to the district Coal Trade Committees. The Auckland committee'will control the distribution of'all coal supplies available within the Province of Auckland. The Wellington committee will control coaJ 'supplies within the provincial districts of Taranafci, Hawke's Bay, Wellington, and Marlborough, als-> the County ot Waimea in the Province of Nelson. J be. Ch'ristchurch committee will have jurisdiction over that portion of the bouth Hland which is bounded on the north bv the' Clarence River, on the south by the WRitaki Eiver, on the vest by the Southern Alps, and on the east by the seaboard. ~, , ~ As-regards Otago and Southland, the ■Hon.-Arthur Myers states that, owing to the proximity of lignite supplies, and the quantities available, there was no occasion at present for deliveries of coal in these localities to be subject to tlio Coal Trade Regulations.

Duties of the Boards. In regard to the method of conducting business in regulated areas, the Minister stated that it, was proposed to obtain control by sanctioning deliveries, and consequently the duty is imposed on all vendors of coal in regulated, areas who are desirous of selling more than one ton of coal in any.one transaction, or more ' y,au two tons of coal to any one person, within a. period of one month, to approach the secretary of the Coal trade fjommilteo for the district, in order to ascertain whether the local committee could sanction such a. deliven £ the vendor proposed to make; that i> to say all persons in the coie trade «H ™" tinuc as heretofore to find their o»n euetoraers and having found their customer vill through 0 the secretaries approach the Coal Trade Committees controlling the customers' district th b ie questing from such committee then per mission to deliver ll6 f; Ifc ™" ™ the duty of secretaries to the w"™ttees parties and subsequently < } mit forms to such parties, thu» connrm in" each transaction. , ,i. In cases where supplies of coal are to be delivered to a coal dealer forresale to the customers of such coal dealer, t e Coal Trade Committee may sanction the delivery of the coal to the coal dealer, Xc/to such conditions as are.reasonable; having regard to prevail™ con* tions. It is anticipated that 1 . 11 relieve coal dealers and *al ™)~. of the duty of frequently applying foi prmts under present conditions, but wrtl not relieve them of the necessity ot rail) accounting to the committee or a the coal delivered to them. Should cM-di tions justify it, Mr. Myers stated that the Coal Trade Committees could con eider sanctioning the delivery by coal merchants of such coal per montl., or other period as was required to keep important industries going. However under the Coal Trade filiations a,l pe - inits "ranted are revocable, should r.eces- " y arise. The Minister further states tha\ the Eaihvay. Defence, and Admiralty requirements will be approved nnd *iraneed for by Vim through his 1 leoar - mont of Munitions and Supplies at Wellington. The Committees, The committee are:— , , . Auckland.-Mr. B. W. Alison (c hair.man),, ilr. E. A. Craig, and- Air. John U Weßon.-Mr.' IW. Gunn (chairman), Mr. A. S. Collins, Mr. A\. A. Flavell, Mr. W. J. vJaudin, and Mr. \\. \V. Gibson. , ~ Christchuvch.-Mr. J. A. Redpath (chairman), Mr. A. M'Kelliir,. and J.r. I . il. C. Weary. . . "It will be appreciated," says Mi. Myers, "that the gentlemen whom I have nominated to act as my representatives upon Coal Trade Committees have oftered their services gratuitously for patriotic reasons. It will also be readily understood that these gentlemen, who are expert in the coal business, are being called upon to exercise and deliver an impartial judgment, so that, should coal supplies fall short of all requirements, such supplies as are available vill bo of to the best advantage from a national point of view. This being the position, I am, therefore, not apprehensive of hearing any dissensions from the decisions of the committees, which will, as above indicated, be guided by principles and directions which from time to time, will be laid down, in which connection I have the benefit of the assistance of my Departmental advisers—the Munitions and Supplies Board."