N.Z. COAL SHORTAGE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVIII, Issue 16882, 1 August 1919, Page 4

N.Z. COAL SHORTAGE.

CHRISTCHURCH CITY-COUNIL. I AS COAL DEALERS. J (P«r Press Association). CHRISTCHURCH, July 31. The special Coal Committee of the City Council yesterday afternoon decided to recommend to the City Council tliat the municipality should go into Jjj business as coal dealers permanently. It was decided that none of the coal obtained by the municiplity should be sold to dealers, and that the municipal: ity should control and distribute the supplies it obtains. The necessary officials were appointed to properly carry > on the business. V IN FAVOUR OF STATE CONTROL. The "VVoolston Borough Council passed a resolution in .favour of the public ownership and control of the mining, transportation, and distribution of D coal, with adequate- representation of a workers on the Board of control. s The Council condemned the proposal Vi for semi-private control of the coal mining industry with a State guarantee of dividends to private shareholders, which is embodied in the Board of ' — Trade's report. , p» 1 1 BOARD OF TRADE'S REPLY. TO PURCHASE PROPOSAL. Mr W. G. Mac Donald, acting chairman of the Board of Trade, pointed and yesterday that a misapprehension appeared to exist regarding the nature and scope of the Board's recommendations for the establishment of a Dominion Coal Board, to take over the existing coal companies, on certain conditions. It had never recommended present shareholders being guaranteed any- w return. To purchase the mines the Government would have to borrow and pay interest to bondholders, who would have no direct incentive to see that the coal mining venture of the State was eifieienfcly managed,.whereas under the ,recommendation of' the Board of Tiado the Board was of opinion if would be beneficial to the coal mining industry to foster a higher degree of enterprise, initiative, and resourceful management, and■ accumulation from the profits of the industry, of a fund adequate to its future development, m without its becoming a burden upon other industries of the Dominion. Therefore the Board's recommendation, if given effect to, would amount to the establishment of a partnership between = the State, capital y and labour, iu the coalmining industry. Such a body would give- the mine workers ' a voice in the " determination ot ' the business policy of the industry, and in the conduct of the management, thereby, improving their status and alleviating,' if .not removing entiiclv, the causes of industrial strife and misunderstanding, both of which have been a marked feature of the trade's < history during recent years, to the great I detrimeut of the entire community * The proposal'to raise by taxation money i to buy out the present shareholders -amounts to a levy on other industries for the benefit ,of the coalmining industry, and is unsound in principle. - NO COAL WAITING SHIPMENT. , GREYMOUTH, July 31. In reference to the statement made by Mr AWT. Young,-general secretary of the' New Zealand Seamen's Union,that 'there were thousands of tons of coal on the West Coast waiting to be taken away; after making exhaustive inquiries -lihrinighout this district, it is clear that ' the statement is quite erroneous. There are absolutely no 'J stocks of coal in the bins of the various mines and it' is a. common occurrence for steamers at this pont> to be delayed waiting fen- coal, often being compelled to 1 sail short loaded owing to coal not- , being forthcoming. *j A fire th'is morning at the lamp hut ,v * cf No. 3 section, Liverpool mine, des- _ tioyed lamps, and' ;the . 'mine is idlo to-d.iy. Tt is hoped-to secure fresh lamps and to resume to-morrow.. The origin of the fire is a. mystery. ■WORKS CLOSED DOWN. -DUNEDIN. July 31. • As n result O.F the railway rescrictions the Milbum Linio and Cement -Company's quarry at DuiVback. ' Forty-fonr lowing the previous closing of the company's quarry at Dunback. orty-four « men were paid off to-day, 37 be'ing iparriod.