WEST COAST COAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11797, 28 July 1900, Page 8

WEST COAST COAL.

TO THE EDITOR. Sirj—As Mr Mills himself acknowledges, his oft-repeated explanation is not swallowed by the public. In his explanation last week he gave no quotation for Dunedin, and I cannot conjecture a reason therefor. I don't know anything at all about the fttail prices charged elsewhere, but this much I do know—: in Dunedin I pay for Coalbrookdale. coal 363 a ton delivered, for Coalbrookdale dross 27s a ton delivered. lam of opinion that the coal merchant gets 6s a ton for delivery, and as this is the usual delivery profit on all kinds of coal I suppose it is useless for me ,to plead that it is exorbitant. Combination of coal dealers may still further increase this profit in the near future.

Mr Mills may plead that the Union Steam Ship Company get about 6s a ton out of the above prices for freight by their steamers, but it is quite useless for me to conjecture where' their ramifications cease. The Union Steam Ship Company seem to be like the Rothschilds, holding a strong monetary interest in things multifarious.

Will Mr Mills kindly come up to the scratch by telling me who it is that pockets the high profit ? I will then give you a pungent letter in reply. Meanwhile I am quite confident that the Premier of New Zealand is no fool, and that there must he a huge unnecessary profit somewhere, else he would not say so. . Time will prove. Opposition reveals wondrous facts. —I am, etc., Coal.