NO COAL TO GO OUT

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 31, 5 August 1914, Page 2

NO COAL TO GO OUT

EXCEPT FOR THE ADMIRALTY EFFECT OF GOVERNMENT'S PROCLAMATION. No further coal except that required by the Admiralty is to be exported from New Zealand for the ' pussent. This decision was arrived at by the Executive Council last evening, and later a proclamation was issued in a special Gazette as follows : — "Whereas by section 47 of. the Customs Act, 1913, it is enacted that the Governor may by Order-in-Council gazetted prohibit the exportation of any goods which in his opinion may, if exported, be used for any purpose of war: And whereas in the opinion of the Governor coal, if exported, may • be so used, and -the exportation thereof ought to be so prohibited accordingly. "Now, therefore, His Excellency the - Goyernor ,of. the >E>omi_i«K»f>&iNeMri _ea- •" land; -in putsuance*.and i ,exrfi-cfife at the powers and authorities conferred •upon him by section 47 of- the Gustoms Att,. 1913, and of all other powers and au'ttoorities enabling, him an -that -behajf, .; and acting by arfd with the advice and consent of .the Executive Council . pf that Domjnion, doth' hereby prohibit , the. exportation of coal from the Baid r Dominion, save, and except in gases' where the Minister for Defence is sat\ isfied that any coal to be exported is destined and required* for the use of , His Majesty's ships and authorises th» lading and exportation thereof accprd ingly, and save and. except in cases where the Collector of Customs at any port is satisfied that the .coal to be exported is_ required and intended for use as ships' stores by the -exporting ship, not being a foreign ship of war, and authorises the lading and' exportation thereof accordingly." A Post reporter made enquiries to-day to ascertain precisely what the effect of the proclamation would be. Practically the only company concerned is tho Westport Coal Company, which has' a contract to supply the British Admiralty with coal for the Australian fleet. The proclamation virtually means that Imperial requirements will have to receive first .consideration and after them will come railway, lighting, and other services, with the consumer last on the list. The company's contract is - to supply coal for the Sydney headquarters of the Australian Fleet, with occasionally cargoes for the Pacific where they can bo picked up by the warships. Westport coal is very extensively used for naval purposes in these waters, as it has been found that Australian coal has a detrimental^effect om the boilers. It appears that none of the other companies send cargoes 6utside of New Zealand — at least not to any exterit- r -a.nd they will be unaffected by the proclamation. _ Of course there was the possibility that in view of the heavy demands possible inflated prices may soon have been offering for coal outside of New Zealand, but the Government's decision will prevent any coip'pany from taking advantage of such inducement.