WESTPORT COAL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1211, 17 May 1895, Page 31

WESTPORT COAL.

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER OF MINES. A deputation consisting of Messrs A. H. Hargraves (chairman of Westport-Cardiff Coal CtfiJ; T, J.j W.- Gale (chairman of the Mokihinui Coal Co’.)'; W.- Scott (representing the Westport Coal C <j.J and S. Brown (representing the coal dealers ox Wellington) waited upon the Minister of Mines on Saturday to urge the importance of somethin g being dene to improve the facilities for shipping coal at Westport. Mr Hargraves pointed out' that the present mode of shipment from the staiths Was very destructive to the coal. From the tittle it left the trucks until it reached the vessel’s hold it was subjected to such rough treatment that is the case of screened coal it practically had become Second and third unscreened by the time it was 6ii bbilfch ThS frequency of handling it received and the Wafit bf care and proper facilities for shipment all tended t& its disintegration. The approximate depth of the fall to the vessel’s hold was probably between 40 and 50 feet; and at high tides 30ft, but a 40ft- fall WaS the averagb, Such a fall, of course, tended to the shiashifig up bf the coal, and '• thereby produced a great deal of waste when it came to be retailed for household purposes. If the W estport coal trade was to be developed to such an extent that a

colonial export trade might be built up, the. erection of a new wharf at Westport and the use of steam or hydrafiliS cranes were an absolute necessity. Until these crafies could be obtained, some of the steam! erdhes t?bA at Cape Fouhvind might be used fof the purpose; Speaking for his own company albnb/ he was satisfied if a proper mode of Shipment were provided they would in all probability during the present year have trebled or even quadrupled their sale of unscreened household coal, and thereby a large quantity of Newcastle coal would have been precluded from coming into the Colony. Through the present imperfect means of shipping the Westport coal there was a loss to the producer of at least 50 per cent. Then, too, hopper waggons should be employed instead of those at present in use. In conclusion, he suggested a differential railway rating for the carriage of coal, dividing it into three classes for that purpose. , Mr Gale concurred in all Mr Hargraves had Skjd:, He had himself seen the coal reduced almost to dust i it the process of transferring it to the vessel’s hold; He thought there should be a differential royalty rate on coal, as well as the differential railway rate referred to by Mr Hargraves. If the coal industry were only properly encouraged, he did not see why an effort snould not be made to compete for the San Francisco trade. At present vessels left that port in ballast for Newcastle to return with eargoes of coah A combined tug and dredge would be of great benefit to Westport. Mr Scott agreed with the previous speakers, while Mr S. Brown referred to the enormous loss entailed upon the public through the present method of handling the coal at the port of shipment. In nearly all cases the dealer had to take out one-fourth of the coal and lay it aside to be sold at half-price. He had landed Newcastle coal which out of 100 tons would not have one ton of slack, while in a like quantity of Westport coal there would be

from 15 to 20 tons of slack. The Hon Mr Cadman said that before he could do anything he would have to consult the Westport Harbour Board. He could not agree that if improved appliances for the shipment of the coal were provided the trade would be quadrupled. The importations from Newcastle for the whole Colony did not very much exceed 100,000 tons, and the Newcastle coal did not affect the Westport mines solely. As for the fall to which the coal was subjected in being shipped, the Government were not the only sinners ; he had noticed the way in which the Cardiff

Company’s men delivered the coal into the staiths, and there was plenty of room for improvement there. The ’■whole thing resolved itself into a question of money. To do what was suggested would cost a great deal, and where was it to come from, and how was interest to be paid on it. With regard to the differential rate proposal he would consider it, but if it meant reducing the revenue he feared it would not be entertained. Since he became Minister of Bailways he supposed he had had requests for reductions in railway charges that in the aggregate would lower the railway revenue by one-half if given effect to. Special concessions, besides, could not be made to any one place. If the staiths were kept full there would not be so much fall for the coal. However, he would get a report on this matter, and probably he might be able to do something in the way of providing cranes for shipping the household coal. As for a new wharf, that was too big an order altogether. But he would go into the question of cranes for lifting the household coal, and see if anything- could be done.