CONTROL OF BRITISH COAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3430, 9 December 1919, Page 19

CONTROL OF BRITISH COAL.

(By Cable.)

SOUTH WALES PROSPERITY. LONDON, November 27. South Wales is enjoying unexampled prosperity. Tramp ships are charging 60s a ton freight. The freight on coal shipped to Rouen, France, was 5s a ton before the warj now the.freight is 100 s. One captain made £63,000 last year out of his part share of a steamer. The coalowners are selling export coal at 70s a ton. The steel smelters are earning £l6 a week. A miner's family, where father and three sons work in the pits, receives £27 10s a week. PARIS, November 27. The French Government has protested to the British Government against the rising price of coal exported.from Britain. PRICE OF DOMESTIC SUPPLIES. LONDON, November 28. As a protest against not being consulted in regard to the recent changes in the price of coal (a reduction of 10s a toil in domestic supplies), the miners' delegates on the*Advisory Committee of the Coal Controller have resigned, their resigna tions including Mr R. Sruillie (president of the Miners' Federation) and Mr V. Hartshorn. In the House of Commons, at the opening of the coal debate, Mr Brace (Labour) moved that a select committee be appointed to inquire into the coal trouble and the position of the coal industry in regard to the selling prices, profits, cost of production, and output. He complained that the Government refused-to co-oper-ate with the miners, who were driven to despair by the blunders of the Coal Department. Jle attributed the shortage in regard to to lack of development by the owners and lack of transport. The miners' solution was nationalisation, but he was prepared to co-operate in any system to secure larger production. Replying, Sir Auckland Geddes said that the suggested committee was undesirable because it would not be an expert one. The Government had nothing to conceal, but it objected to the committee because, it wanted to get on with the job. The controlling factors of the situation were mainly outside" this country. In October the industry showed a deficit of £9,000,000. On the small proportion of coal which was being exported tremendous profits were being made, but on the large psoportion which was being used inland a loss was being made. It was anticipated that the deficit would be paid off in December and that there would be a profit of £17,000,000 at the end of the financial year. This estimated surplus would be used to reduce domestic prices. He defended this policy on fobe ground that the money could not be devoted to a better object than reducing the cost of living, and because a further rise must lead to new demands for higher wages, thus perpetuating a vicious circle of increasing cost of living and wages, which, if continued, would strangle industry in the_ country. Referring to the resignation of the miners' representatives on the Advisory Committee on the ground of not haying been consulted, Sir Auckland Geddes said he thought it was undesirable to consult them recently, but if they were prepared to co-operate in the spirit in which Mr Brace had just spoken, he would welcome their assistance. The motion was defeated by 254 to 59. $ SUPPLY OF HOUSEHOLD COAL. LONDON, December 3. Ih' the House of Commons Sir Auckland Gedde3 stated that a number of collieries, owing to financial difficulties, were unable to continue to supply household coal at

reduced prices. Steps had been taken to finance them, and they had been instructed to resume normal working.