FREIGHTS ON LIGNITE AND BROWN COAL

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 151, 30 June 1925, Page 5

FREIGHTS ON LIGNITE AND BROWN COAL

to the EBiroa.

Sir,—ln your issue of 29th instant an-, other statement is published concerning, the. proposal of-the .Railway Department (a State concern) to bring the rates of lignite "coal upto a paying rate, and which rate is at present under cost of carriage. Before anything is done by the present Government,, the coal mine proprietors should, have their balance-sheets published so'that the; people of New. Zealand can see for themselves the true position. v,1... quoted - in a /previous '.letter to you the interest earned by. one mine and the amount of share capital which was written; off last year, but it would be interesting,to know ii the.whole of the capital invested has not been returned ■to thg .original shareholders. This return ;of 8 per cent, and 5s written off: the; share capital -was the profits for what they call their worst" year, wheii the mining industry,' was at - its worst for a period of twenty years. Let: the public (who are to foot the bill for the deficiency in their railway interest) ask the. question^ What are the profits in a good; year? Let .the public demand what .are' the. profits -earned by: other companies, .who, it is alleged, have more than doubled this profit in the, Waikato- district last year. ; Let "the public of New Zealand demand the reason why private: companies 1 are allowed, and- have been .allowed, to benefit by. a State concern, and if'-. itfis not: a fact that, the directors ;of. the mines complaining are not anxious •to see all - State ■■ concerns fun •; at a loss, and to ridicule all such .enterprises by the public of New Zealand? : . .'.. : ; ;

The \ public should; know the reason' why imported coal can pay up to, and ■in some cases over, 20s a - ton m freight, and yet compete with the New Zealand; coal. : The public should know the reason why the, price of coal' to.: them - is much dearer than coal produced in any State . of.: Australia.':."'. The;, public should know the .reason .-why- it is, -when .'.the miners ■■= get an increase,, the price goes up_, and yet /the price of coal to the railways has been, increased to them by as-much as -230 ;per cent., and they - (the i mine-owners) do not concede the :same:-iright: to the: railways,- as; they have to,increase the price of coal when, their wages -bill. is increased as stated., The', public should know, the reason of the .made by a' coal; mining representative :■ that. the ■; price of', landed imported coal regulates:, the price of New Zealand coal. • ,:,. .

In :the, 1919 report .of the Coal Commission it N. was; stated .■■■that. railway freights increased :by 21 per cent.,,,and steamer.: freights . increased over 50 per cent, and 73 per cent.' on Newcastle coal. The public should, know why there 'was no squeak, from, 1 coal' mine owners '-when these '■■ steamer freights were put up. .Or is it-a combination between'- companies as against.a StateTun'Sconcern.? Let the public have:a.full and frank statement as to the'increased steamer freight charges and the increase : and proposed increase of charges by the 'Railway.'-.".;;'-" •'.'■:'"■:•/,■'. v. „.'.■.'-..•■:■-■.,-■. '."■'. ■' '■

„•: Nbw,.:with regard to the.minersy-the statement'was publicly madeby the Immigration Officer (Mi\H.' ; D. Thomson), that 943 miners have come to-New. Zealand within 1 the last three years up to' 31st March, 1925, and every one of,them has been nominated by the; miners of New Zealand. So much for the unem-. ployment:question.—l am,:etc., -■•W'V- ..': •.■."■■':■ W- M'ARLEY; :<±'r.:r: ■■-■■■;■ r Secretary,. E.F.C. A. ,'. "■:■ 30th June.; "■-•■ .',- '„.-;;