MUNICIPAL COAL SUPPLY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12687, 8 July 1919, Page 3

MUNICIPAL COAL SUPPLY.

SPIRITED DEBATE IK council; There was considerable discussion at the meeting of the City Council last evening on the coal question. The Mayor reported that the special committed set up to deal with the coal supply had held several meetings during the month of June, and had also waited as a deputation upon the Act-ing-Prime Minister (Sir James Allen). The committee passed the following resolutions 'That the council should secure the loan or hire of a siding for the purpose of delivering coal to the people of Christchurch; that Captain Lockington, of Reef ton, should b© asked to. consign to the City Council 600 tons of coal; that Mr J. D. Lynch (Mayor of Greymouth) should be asked to provide the necessary shipping space; and that arrangements should he made for the delivery of the coal. The first shipment of coal was expected to arrive in Christchurch at any time now.

Councillor Burgoyne said there were plenty of applications for ‘the coal, and he would like to know how it was going to be distributed.

The Mayor said that the coal would be delivered in two-hag lots in truck, and those taking delivery that way would get preference., ■ Councillor Agar said that h© wished io ; remind the Mayor that he had com;i,aitted the council on the coiil question before the council had a chance V)f centering. No committee had the right Hh °;o on, and act without the authority 0* the council; The Mayor was not putling ’forward the true resolutions as l&issed by the committee. He suggested that the council should not tolerate any of these things. The Mayor had illegally used the name of Christchurch as a purchaser of coal. . Why had the Mayor shown such impetuous haste rushing blindfold into a thing that he know nothing about? “ Your coal,” Councillor Agar went on to the Mayor, -'is costing 80s per ton. freight Ids, railage 4s 6d, bagging and weighmg 2s 6d per ton, loss on sacks Is 3d per ton, 'overhead charges 2s per ton, loss of weight Is per ton. Total up the figures, and you will find that there is no margin on 4s 7d per sack ex Waltham yard.” The same coal was sold, delivered by Christchurch dealers at os to 5s 6d.

This caused dissentient voices, biit Councillor Agar said that he had confirmed the prices that day while‘in the Town Clerk’s Office. The city ■ bad bought an absolute lot of rubbish, not worth 16s a ton, and the Mayor’s action had had the effect V>f increasing the . price of coal on the West Coast by 3s, a ton, for he had. offered a higher price than- the dealers were able to pay, and the merchants of Christchurch had therefore been compelled to pay the .higher price. There were eighty small coal dealers in Christchurch, and it was unfair to them that tha. Mayor enter tho areno,, unauthorised, and onng coal to Christchurch, for they were_put out of business. Furthermore, the Mayor had not brought to Christchurch one ton more of coal than would otherwise have come, for the same ship that brought the Mayor’s 350 tons ot coal-had brought another 350 tons oi coal, _and the Mayor’s consignment would not have been available if he had. not bought it through a dealer at Greymouth. He noticed also that the Mayor'had been dealing without authority m wood. , The councillors had had to get their information from the papery and, he-hoped that they would protest against such ■ action

Councillor Jameson asked whether act k a( * Cen aut borised to

“ There was no power to act;” said the Mayor “ bat you will hear presently what has taken place.” Councillor H. T. Armstrong said that it was mean to suggest that the full report of the committee liad not been submitted to the Council, for.it was bv no means customary to report all orocoedmgs of committee. It was nW lutely untrue for Councillor Agar do say that the coal Would have been Christchurch in any <£se life had fe Some, to deal in cm! and bring coal from the mines at present operating, and bring it by the ships 'at present carrying coal, the? might not have met with opposition tot it was because they get coal from mines not nreviouslv operating and bring it ,in ships not previously caring coal, that they had run foul of the coal ring and also ot the Acting-Pnme Minister. The rest of the cargo was timber s 0

■ .Councillor Agar said that there was extra coal and timber.

does she carry P” askfid Councillor Armstrong J asired , “ Coal and timber,” said Councillor -.u U b J t is not all city coal.” Councillor Armstrong said that the whole of the cargq, apart from timber was the City Council’s coal, and the whole of at would have been timber if the council s order had not been placed. The coal had been bought mil ? e n ob previously supplying .Christchurch and its purchase did not lesson the supply of coal • to the people of Christchurch. ■ He realised that opposition would come because

ffor^Chronic Chest Complaints, .. Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure.

city was running in opposition to I the biggest ring in New Zealand. Certainly the coal was costing 30s a ton, but nobody could purchase a ton of coal from any of the large mines ’ unless it was going to be. carried by the Union Steam- Ship Company. The mmes of the country and the Government also, it appeared, were controlled bv the Uniori Steam Ship Company. That was why the city had had to pay 30s. The Board, of Trade on the other hand had reported that coal could be supplied f.o-b. at Greymouth at 10s 6d a ton, but the city had to-pay 20s a ton more than was paid by any coal dealer in Christchurch. Notwithstanding this, the city could sell the coal cheaper than the coal dealers, and if the coal companies and the shipping companies would give the city the usual facilities the city could sell it at 20s a ton cheaper still, if citizens got it at 5a 9d a bag it would still be a good performance, fqr the people could not get coal at any price. Councillor Armstrong asked why the large dealers were concerned about the small dealer when, they knew very well that the small dealer was being squeezed out more and more and that the combine had come to stay. It was a question whether the people would control the coal combine or whether it would control them. AN AMENDMENT. Councillor M’Kellar said that a good deal of what Councillor Armstrong had said was far from true. It.seemed a wrong thing to offer 4s per ton more than nad been offered by the Board of Trade. Councillor Armstrong talked about coal at 10s 6d per ton. Councillor Armstrong was talking about ccal he had bought when working as a miner, when he got coal below the cost price. It was a great pity that the council or the committee had not consulted those who. knew. They did not' ask the big companies if ‘ they would sell f.o.b. The thousand tons they were promised had diminished a good deal, but there were two shipments coming, and despite what Councillor Armstrong had said, coal from Brunner had been coming here for many years- As chairman of the Coal Control Committee he had seen a great deal. Had it not been for the foresight of the Hon A. M. Myers they would have been a good deal shorter of coal than they had been. Were they to generally adopt the policy of this committee, big industries and institutions would he without coal, as there was only a limited supply of coal m the country. They should think before going further into the matter. Councillor M’Kellar moved as an amendment:— That the report bo received, and that the council do not take any further action in the purchase of coal and firewood. . Councillor Sullivan criticised strongly - the party which always arose in the

council to support monopolies. It was always a curious thing any time an attempt was made to help the people the opposition that was created. There had been 500 tons of this coal lying at Ileefton for months past, and it had been bought for the city. ■ Did Councillor M’Kellar deny that? Councillor M’Kellar: I wanted to buy 600 tons and was offered three. Councillor Beanland said that immediately he saw Councillor Sullivan trying to create party feeling he felt it was time to speak. He was prepared to vote for the report brought down, because even if the people. were going to pay more for the coal it did not matter if they were going to get coal.

Councillor M’Kellar: I might say that_ I am not opposed in any way to obtaining additional coal for Christchurch, and I would like to get it as Gueap as possible. i!e could say more about the coal shortage, hut it was not his turn to sneak.-

Councillor Harper said 'there was the one point whether the supply obtained operated against the general supply. The Mayor: No, it does not. Councillor Hunter said the appointment of . the Coal Control Committee was one of the most brazen thingsIke control had been placed in the hands of men .who were, wringing money out of the people. The Mayor called _ Councillor Hunter to order, remarking that the men were in their position constitutionally. FAIR AND SQUARE.

Councillor A. , Williams said that the Mayor had acted “fair and square.” “I tmd u),J said the Mayor. Councillor Williams said that everytuir.g had been fair and above-board, and he gave his consent for the purchase as soon as the Mayor rang him up about it. He thought, however, that if the Mayor had made an explanation the matter would have been cleared up long ago. •

“ You must diagnose the case before you can operate,” said the Mayor. Councillor: Agar- said that, he was quite, aware that the Mayor had a majority of councillors in support of his action.

“ That is absolutely wrong,” said the Mayor. “ Will you kindly resume your seat. You are assuming things you have no right to assume.” Councillor H. F. Herbert said that he was entirely in favour of the report because he knew of individual cases of distress ; yet he knew also of a gentleman who had just had five tons,of coal emptied into his locker, while poor people could not get one bag. People had been clamouring for coal at any price, and the committee had done something that the Coal Control Committee should have done itself, and that.was whv it was nasty. Councillors Agar and M’Kellar could get as much coal as they wanted,, but the city was out to help the small people to get. coal.

Councillor E. H. Andrews said that he commended the Mayor and the committee for what had been done. He knew the stress of the coal shortage, and even if no more coal came to Christchurch, but the city’s consignment got a wider, distribution, the committee’s action would have been justified. The Mayor and committee had got great kudos for their prompt action. He had heard Councillor M’Kellar say that but for the Control Committee thousands of tons of coal would not have reached Christchurch, but,he could retort, quite truthfully, that thousands of tons of coal would have come to the city bnt •tor the action of the control. He knew of a public body which had arranged for the supply of coal, delivered in Christchurch, but for some reason which he would not mention, the coal was never received.

“They got other coal instead,” said CoilhCllloF M’Eelkr. “We did not get anything like the same amount or the same quality,’’ said Councillor Andrews, “ and we had to eke it out with firewood.” He added that the Reefton coal was infinitely better than what had been coming to Christchurch lately. Councillor Flesher said he could not vote for the amendment. He was satisned there needed to be great care in the distribution of coal. Before taking any steps for further consignments they ought to have a report as to the working out of the present lot. In the fulfilment of the orders they needed the greatest discrimination. The position was most acute —and the poorest should be supphed first., (Hear, hear.) Councillor. Bangley said that when engaged on the election campaign be had been impressed with the idea that the conned’s work lav for the interests or the people, but when they could get •a little boal they found two big men ” getting, up in protest. He hoped the amendment would get a “ ffattener.” Councillor Burgoyne: “I do not think the report goes far enough.” The miners on the Coast, he said, were not allowed to work when they wanted to get up a stock. The council should ■go further and get its own mines and steamships and - conduct the whole business.' Councillor Agar arose in explanation to say that in his remarks he did not speak against the obtaining, of a supply of coal for Christchurch—-the question was the jeopardising of other supplies. . THE MAYOR EXPLAINS. The Mayor, in reply, said that the amendment had not been seconded, and the resolution for adoption of the report