THE COAL TRADE.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12718, 14 February 1910, Page 3

THE COAL TRADE.

RESOLUTIONS CARRIED AT WESTPORT. L United Press Association.] Westport, Feb 13. The coal inquiry committee appointed some months back for the purpose of inducing the Government to set up a Royal commission to enqiure into the coal trade to prevent the annual recurrence of dispensing with the services of ia large body of men at the. mines, met on Saturday, and carried the following resolution^ :— (1) Viewing with satisfaction a statement publicly made by Mr Joachim, the managing director'of the Westport Coal Company, that it is the desire of the> company to produce all the soft coal possible, and accepting such statement as an appreciable and a distinct repudiation of the assertion that the committee was desirous of forcing the company to" produce soft coal against the wishes of thei company. (2) Asking the Government if it had made tests with, soft coal on a comprehensive scalej and if not, whether it would do so? / „ (3) Asking the Minister of Railways what had been the effect ph-his department of the cessation of the importation of Newcastle coal. (4) Inquiring of the Minister if it was a fact that the coal of this port was being further handicapped by an imposition of a charge of £3 on the special' coal trains. (5) Suggesting the advisability of providing -storage' accommodation • at Westport for 10,000 tons of coal, so that the mines will not be compelled to be idle through the temporary dislocation of , tiie coal trade by ' bad weather. ■'-:"'