GERMANS AND WELSH COAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13305, 11 October 1906, Page 5

GERMANS AND WELSH COAL

,» BUYING A COLLIERY. : By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright. London, October 9. The Daily Mail says that the Germans have gradually purchased shares of the original owners of the Whitworth collieries, at Neath, South Wales, embracing an area of twelve square miles, and estimated to contain 375 million tons of the finest smokeless coal. The British directors have been summoned to resign in favour of Germans. A quarter of a million sterling was paid for the estate.- -;.■■.■'.■.-•■' - : - The Daily Mail is only reporting an event which took place a year ago. ' In July of last year it was reported that a German syndicate bad purchased the .Whitworth Estate of 6000 acres, at Neath, a few miles from Swansea, for £250,000. Neath has a river port available for vessels drawing 15ft. Mr. Balfour, in the House of Commons, stated that the Government would intervene in the event of foreigners seeking to purchase a Welsh colliery supplying steam coal. A few days later, on July 20, the Secretary for the Admiralty (Mr. Pretyman) said the Whitworth Estate, which had been purchased by the Germans, was outside the area where coal suitable for the navy was to be found, and the price paid (£250,000) showed that the purchase effected was insignificant.