IMPORTED COAL FOR RAILWAYS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21539, 11 January 1932, Page 10

IMPORTED COAL FOR RAILWAYS

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —In your issue of Tuesday last “Railway Engine Driver” informs us that Pelawmain coal can be bought from the Dunedin coal merchants cheaper than West Coast coal, but why introduce those people? Surely everybody knows that the Government does not do business with coal merchants, but buys its coal direct from the collieries at a pricp very much below that at which those engaged in the retail trade ' can obtain supplies. Your correspondent has succeeded, however, in bringing forward a subject of much interest to the consumer, who for long enough has regarded the miner as the chief culprit in the high price of coal, and I trust that the following facts may be the means of exonerating him from the charge that has so often been levelled at his head. I would like to inform those interested that the price paid to the miner in the Grey district for hewing the coal is in the vicinity of 4s per ton. In some other districts it is even a trifle less. Now, let the consumer compare this with the price charged to him by the merchant, and I have no doubt that he will come to the conclusion that somebody must be making a huge profit. Let him also give due consideration to the fact that the' miner must produce something like 16 tons of coal before he receives as much as the coal merchant receives for one ton. Surely here is food for thought. Your correspondent charges the miner with coming out on strike on the slightest pretext, but let me inform him that, before taking action, the miner generally has ample reason, and although, to the man in the street, the cause may seem trivial, I can assure “ Railway Engine Driver ” that the underlying pause is often very much more real, and the consequences of inaction a great deal more far-reaching than would appear on the surface. I have a vivid recollection of a railway strike which occurred within recent years. I wonder if “ Railway Engine Driver ” was implicated in it, or was the cause too frivolous? I would like to add that, whether he was or was not, the railwayman as a body had my sympathy. I am quite well aware that last year’s Government orders of West Coast coal were not executed in full. For this the miner is blamed, but the principal reason lies here. A number of these mines (notably the co-operative mines) were allotted orders far in excess of anything that they could possibly hope to supply, while other mines were working slack time and the miners were sharing the work. Perhaps the foregoing statement will show that the non-fulfilment of orders was caused more by the blundering policy of the Government than by the fault of the miners. In addition to this, at two other mines (Blackball and Dobson) the miners, on refusing the owners’ terms, were promptly locked out, and thus a further shortage of supply was caused.

Although I have carefully read “Railway Engine Driver’s ” letter, I fail to see any proof that Australian coal is at all superior to that which comes from the West Coast. Pelawmain coal is undoubtedly good, but I wiould draw attention to the ?act that for many years the best West Coast coal has been classed as second only to Welsh coal, which is recognised as the best steaming coal in the world. I still contend that Shag Point coal, mixed in a correct proportion with West Coast coal, can be used to advantage and have no hesitation in saying that the former coal, even if used by itself, would be found to be immensely superior to some of the rubbish that has been imported from Port Kembla. This is not merely my own personal opinion, but I have found it endorsed, not by inexperienced men, but by drivers and firemen who have seen considerable service and of • whoso competence there can be no doubt. “ Railway Engine Driver ” has carefully avoided my point regarding the economic aspect of the case, and 1 repeat that it is entirely uneconomic to import coal and, by so doing, throw our own citizens out of employment when we have such plentiful supplies of an excellent article in our own country. It would appear to me to be a better business proposition for the Government to buy the produce of our own country, thus keeping our own people in productive employment, than to have these men ekeing out a bare existence on work that is in' many cases unproductive and in others totally unnecessary. I am accused by your correspondent of showing too much interest in the unemployment question. It is not my duty to do so? Is it not the duty of every man and woman to endeavour, by all ‘means in their power, to wipe out this curse of unemployment which has brought misery to so many doors? Railway Engine Driver ” shows rather remarkable inconsistency of argument when he advocates buying in the cheapest market while at the same time taking the worker to task for patronising the Chinese fruit and vegetable _ shops. In any case the vegetables sold in the shop of “John Smith” are often grown in the garden of “ Wong Lee.’ Perhaps, after all, your correspondent will agree that we are exploited even by our own countrymen. In conclusion. I would like to inform him that, thanks to the Government’s policy of importing coal, I have ample time to grow my own vegetables. —I am, etc., W. H. Wilson. Palmerston, January 8.