PRICE OF COAL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9614, 21 March 1917, Page 5

PRICE OF COAL

INCREASE FORECASTED TEN PER CENT WITHIN WEEK. OR TWO. Freai Association. DUNEDIN, March 20. Tho price of coal is to he advancer! about 10 per cent, within a week or so. It in stated the increase will be general throughout the Dominion. THE POSITION REVIEWED HOW DISLOCATION OK INDUSTRY MAY BE AVERTED. (■Contributed.) Very few users of coal are aware that the outlook for the coal .supplies of the Dominion at the present tunc is a matter of grave concern to those interested in tho industrial life of the country. The drain upon tho coal supply by the Admiralty, the heavy demand for fuel by the transports, which are continually hearing away our young manhood to tho battle, front, coupled with that more potent factor the "fro slow policy of the miners, .who, knowing the power they possess owing to tho shortage of labour to work the mines, arc reducing tlid daily output to some extent, all tend in the direction of emphasising tlio difficulty of supplying the demand, . . Notwithstanding that the Dominion is so' bountifully provided with extensive Reams of coal awaiting machinery and traction to bring it to the consumer, little has been done hi the direction of utilising tho deposits. Users, including the railways, have been largely dependent upon outside sources for their supplies, cargoes even from India and Japan having been requisitioned to fill up the gap. ' Whilst there is more than sufficient Oval at Newcastle. N. S.W., to supply nil tho requirements of the Dominion, the lack of shipping to carry it has brought'us’to the verge of a coal famine, and the outlook for tho coming winter is a grave ono for the community at largo.

X*'or soilio years past the greater portion of the coal-earrymg trade from Newcastle has been in the hands of the Union Company, few outside _ charters have been arranged. Now, whilst there is no objection to the Union Company being the carriers for our requirements, the company for some time past appears to have failed in the direction of supplying sufficient vessels for the purpose, and the outcome is such a general shortage as will make itself severely felt, unless something is done speedily. Already the Railway Department has taken the position seriously, and commandeered parts of cargo space from Newcastle, which action only accentuates the position for other industries. The problem is one for tho Government to solve. Hoeing that it is the largest consumer of coal, the arguments for State ownership of vessels — or at any rate of those carrying coal for tho State’s oivn requirements—is a valid one 1 , and if adopted would relievo the tension considerably.

There is now a Department for Munitions and Supplies, to deal with this among other questions relating to industrial matters, with a Minister in charge, who should give consideration to tho suggestion that tho State obtian by purchase or charter sufficient vessels’, suitable for carrying its own requirements, and so relievo a position which should never have been created, and which is likely to become more acute in tho near future, unless handled promptly.