NEW ZEALAND COAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 179, 30 June 1936, Page 12

NEW ZEALAND COAL.

INCREASED USE. CHRISTCHURCH, June 29. “The question of whether the Government will place a duty or impose an embargo on imported coal will be determined by the attitude of the gas companies and the users of bituminous coal,” said the Minister of Mines (Hon. P. C. Webb), in an interview this morning. The Minister expressed strong dissatisfaction with the attitude of grain-growers ivho used imported coal for their threshing machines While enjoying full protection for their own industry. “It seems incredible to me, ’ he said, “that a specially protected industry such as wheat-growing should continue to make a fairly extensive use of coal which pays no duty. There is not an element of excuse for the use of imported coal in threshing machines.” The Minister said the gas companies had come a fair distance towards meeting the request that they should use New Zealand coal exclusively, but he was not satisfied with their response. He knew of consumers who could use still larger quantities of New Zealand coal, and upon their attitude would depend the question of what action the Government would take in connneetion with imported coal.