A HUGE DEAL IN COAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17215, 18 January 1918, Page 3

A HUGE DEAL IN COAL

(From Oub Own Ooebespondent.)

SYDNEY, January 9.

Tho biggest deal in coal ever recorded in Australia has just been made between the Government of Victoria and the proprietors of two of the biggost New South W<oles collieries. Tho mines are to supply Victoria with 1,'000 ; 000 tons of coal a year, at 15s per ton, delivered at Newcastle, and the term of the contract is five years. Victoria has no great deposits of coal; it can depend on no more than 250,000 tons per annum from its own mines, while its normal consumption is about 1,200,000 tons per annam. Therefore, the State looks to New South Wales, which has abundant coal supplies, for about 1,000,000 tons per year. This, it has received, but -with increasing irregularity. Every passing labour disturbance in th.9 Mother State— and such upheavals are legion—-interferes more or less with Victoria's coal supply, with bad results on Victorian industries. Although New South Wales, was tho seat of the recent big strike, Victoria, being deprived of coal, suffered almost as severely as tho bigger State. The new contract is designed to put an end to this —or, at any rate, to ensure somewhat more regular supplies. The matter- has been the subject of considerable negotiation between the Victorian Government and the New South Wals Government, which, by special legislation, is at present practically controlling tho coal mines. On the occasion of the recent strike, when the New South Wales Government worked many of the mines by free labour, the West Maitland mine was handed over to the Victorian Government, which worked it with its own men sent from Victoria. This arrangement apparently contained the seed from which sprang- the present big contract. Tho Victorian Government, under the novy scheme, is to see that sufficient labour is provided to keep the two huge and well-equipped mines in full operation. Every effort will be made to get tho men in New South Wales, but, if that fails, they will be sent from Victoria. Tho New South Wales Government, which is always hungry for revenue, likes the idea, because it gets' a royalty on tho output of tho mines.

Tho Labour organisation is very suspicious about tho contract, and is busily investigating it from all points of view. Tt seems to have a nasty feeling that it ought to register the biggest and liveliest kind of protest, but at tho moment it seems unable to decide on what ground it will take exception. But it seems likely that Labour is going to take up a definitely hostile attitude very soon.