Waikato Coal Price To be Increased

Northern Advocate, 6 December 1938, Page 5

Waikato Coal Price To be Increased

[.Special to "Northern Advocate ”l AUCKLAND. This Day.

A decision to increase the wholesale price of coal, owing to higher costs of production and the increase in railway freights, has been made by the Waikato Coal Mine Owners’ Association as from December 11.

The present wholesale rates in Auckland are household coal at 32/per ton. kitchen coal at 267- and slack at 1576,

The principal points discussed at a recent meeting of the association are related to freights and higher wages. The amount of increase in price will be decided at a meeting to bo held in a few days. Co-operation Promised,

Commenting today on the statement by the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, at Westport recently, that a conference of coalmine owners will be called to study wages and means of increasing the production of coal to maintain the standard of living, and also to bring about more economic production, Mr H. Luke, chairman of Wilton Collieries, said that owners were quite prepared to co-operate with the Minister and miners. He added, however, that in the Waikato they could not increase production by the addition of more machines, any increase being dependent upon man-power.

Recently numbers of miners had been leaving the mine for outside employment. At present there were ample men available for the work offering.