WEST COAST COAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 August 1921, Page 6

WEST COAST COAL.

‘ A DESTERATE POSITION.” “There are thousands of tons of imported coal being dumped at Wellington and elsewhere, and still coal more coal is coming in. Many of the small mines in New Zealand have had to close in consequence. and more, including the larger mines, will have to follow suit. The position is desperate,” said a prominent Greymouth merchant, “and the sooner the people on the Coast realise the position and unite to protect their trade, the better. It is some time since I first drew attention to the difficulties of placing West Coast coals, and there was immediately a storm of protest from the newspapers. Now they are admitting the position. We are on the dumping again. Cargoes which went from here last week have been refused delivery, and are being carted into yards already fully stocked. We cannot go on dumping. The-only thing now is to close down till trade improves, which will not be until consumption increases and supplies are consumed. I have tried all over the Dominion to sell soifie of the finest hard household coal ever produced on the Coast, but the same answer comes from every port, i.e., ‘fully stocked; do not require any more.’ The. policy of the Government in importing coal at the time when the goslow policy was on, and the country needed foal, was undoubtedly right, but surely there is no need to continue the importation and pay money out from the Dominion these times.”