Cheap Coal

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 794, 26 October 1904, Page 6

Cheap Coal

(To the Editor)

Sir,—Mr McMurray should, endeavour to be courteous, even to an opponent, lo cry *' twaddle "iv reply to arguments is not only undignified in one with Mr McMurray's pretensious to erudition but likewise reveals the fact that his defences are in sore need of reinforcements.

My communication, which appeared in your issue of the 12th inst., was a plain, unvarnished statement of fact re the advantages ef Municipalism, and Mr McMurray makes no at empt to disprove my contentions there anent. 1 apologise if I unwittingly set him too difficult a task. My plea is that I guileleßply took hiim at his own valuation. Tbe greater part of my letter was taken up with a defence of tha ptinciples of Municipalism, for the matter of tha price of coal was with me a very trivial question. Well I know that if the people choose to act through their Municipal Council or by voluntary co-operation they c»n settle that point very effectively. This truth seems to have somehow also forced itself in upon Mr McMurray's mind and the contemplation of the results of such action has apoaiently disturbed- his equ librium. Like the " man with the muck rake," he seems to possess a soul tbat oannot rise above its sordid occupation. So he writes in a temper, and, as I have already said, passes over the most vital paro of my letter, and attributes to me statements I did not make.

Mr MoMurray says that I stated that " coal coßt 15 a per ton on trucks at Foxton and Wellington." Ido not cay tbat Mr MoMurray deliberately, and with intent to mislead, misquotes my letter -.Tbe fact remains nevertheleas that he does misquote. Now, sir, as you (and your readers who are taking an interest in this correspondence), are aware I did not say anything about the cost of coal landed at Foxton. Neither did I say anything about tbe cost of coal landed at Wellington. The statement re the price of coal landed at the latter place was not made nor concocted hy me, as Mr McMurray would try to make your i readers believe. It was the sworn statement of Mr George Joachim, manager of the Westport Coal Company, before the Coal Mines Commission (page 288). As Mr Joachim appeared before the Commission in the interests of Private Enterprise, he could have had no motive in making the middleman's profits appear greater than Mr McMurray assure. jus they are. I advise Mr McMurray to send his coal order direct. Accord- | ing to our friend's figures in his latest effusion, he saves elevenpence on every ton of coal conveyed via Foxton as against tbat brought through Welling. j ton. Being a man of keen business acumen he will never, or hardly ever, buy his coal through Wellington, so we will confine ourselves to dealing with that brought. via. Foxtjn If Coalbrookdale coal costs 28s per ton landed at Foxton, how comes it that the same coal is deliveied to dealers in Auckland at 24s per ton. (Coal Mines Commission report, page 288) and retailed by them at 31s? That is, Coalbrookdale coal is delivered to householders in Auckland at ls 2d per ton less than Mr McMurray cau get it landed wholesale at Palmerston North. Again on page 317, Goal Mines Com-1 mission Report, we find the Wellington branch manager of the Westport Coal Co., Mr W. A. Flavell, declare that the very best picked coal can be delivered at the ship's Bide, Wellington, for 22s 2d, and that he retails tbis coal at 3?s, or 85b cash on delivery. This gives us 12s 10d to meet cost of cartage and I profits, wbicb Mr MoMurray will admit ia " no' sac bad." Mr MoMurray tells U* that Coalbrookdale coal costs him 38s per ton at Foxton, cose of carriage to Palmerston 4s 2d, total to Palm.rston siding 32a 2d. He further oa tells us that be sells tbe j ''best screened household [i.e. Coalbrookdale] coal" at 35s per ton. This shows 2s lOd to pay for caitiog from railway siding to Mr McMurray 'a yard, cost of re-screening (by which according to authorities already quoted the coal ii depreciated more than ten per cent), ooac of delivering, and Mr McMurray's profits I Mr McMurray will pardon me if I must confess that I " ha'e my doors.' —I am, etc., ROBERT HOGG.