HIGHER PRICE OF COAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17113, 19 March 1919, Page 8

HIGHER PRICE OF COAL.

POSITION IN CHRISTCHURCH. The prospect of an increase of 5s a ton in the price of Newcastle coal is being j discussed in Christchurctu Complaint Las been made that in spite of the shortago of household supplies, two cargoes from Newcastle, amounting to 0200 tons, were being reserved for Government requirements. A statement regarding the position was made by Mr. J. A. Redpath, jun., chairman of the Coal Trade Committee. He., expressed the opinion that the expected increaso in the retail price > was fully justified, but explained that the committee had nothing to do with prices. lit concerned itself solely with distribution. In tluß respect, the Minister for [ Munitions first directed it as to the amount of the consignment which the Railway Departmont required. The Christchurch committee had to accept instructions from Wellington. It was concerned only with 1 the balance left after the Railway Department's demands had been met. Regarding the Ooma's consignment of 5500 tons, this • vessel had been chartered by the Government solely for railway requirements. Fol- • i lowing on representations made by the , committee, the Railway Department agreed . to " lend " it 150 tons to meet urpemu threshing demands. But this quantity had ' to be repaid to tho Department. As rei gards the Koromfko's consignment of 3700 tons, only 250 tone would be available for I the ordinary trade, the rest being required by the Railway Department or allocated ' among essential requirements 1 Mr. Redpath said members of the com- ' mittee were working honestly to make tho 1 best of a bad job as regards the coal I shortage. " Speaking as a merchant," he , added, "I would like to say that an in- ' crease to the public in the price of Aus- ' kalian coal is absolutely justified. The position is that tho Union Steam Ship j Company has advanced ite freight rates & ; 6d a ton, and the Melbourne Steamship Company 7s 6d a ton. Vessels of the ' latter company are chartered by the Commonwealth Government, and for the last 1 6ix or seven trips have been nm at an actual loss. Yet their rates previously . were higher than those of the Union Company. I am not financially interested ' in the Union Steam Ship Company, but, from my knowledge of freights, I can confidently say that its rates are'the cheapest in the world to-day. It is only fair to this much criticised company to say this, , for it has saved tho New Zealand con- . sumer a vast sum during the war." . He considered the present shortage of . coal was largely due to the fact that high > freights ruling elsewhere had attracted , shipping to other parts of the world. Thus i at one time there were several sailers engaged on the intercolonial coal tradeat one stage there were nine—which had-oeen ; tempted elsewhere. That was in itself one answer to tho charge that the Dominion , has been exploited in the matter of interI colonial 'freights. "I should also like to , say that coal has been cheaper in New . Zealand during tho war period, with the j exception of Australia, than in any other I country I know of." Mr. Redpath added [ that he did not care to discuss the proba- . bility of a rise in the prico of New Zea-1 ■ land coal. That was a matter for those' . moro immediately interested. I