ARRIVAL OF A CARGO

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12689, 10 July 1919, Page 6

ARRIVAL OF A CARGO

[Per Press Association.] DUNEDIN, July 10. , Tlie steamer Kaituna arrived at the quarantine anchorage at eight o’clock this morning with a full cargo of coal from Newcastle ._ It was stated that there was _no sickness on board the vessel, which is expected to berth at) Dunedin to-morrow.

POSITION IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Mr H. J. Quarrell, secretary of the North Canterbury Coal Merchants 7 and Dealers’ Association, issued the following official statement yesterday* regarding the position of merchants and dealers in the distribution of coal:—

Many statements and letters which have appeared in the papers recently regarding the shortage of coal and hign, prices being charged for that commodity have led tuo public to believe that coal merchants are taking advantage of the shortage to charge exorbitant rates- The North Canterbury Goal Merchants’ and Dealers’ ■ Association have had these statements bi ought before them, and consider that the public would be a little more just if they were fully acquainted with the many difficulties under which the coal merchants have ' been working during the past three years. In every section of the community there will be round a few who are, quick to seme an opportunity of getting as much for their goods as they possibly can do, and this may apply to a very small section of the Christchurch coal merchants, It is not, however, just to blame the great majority of the coal merchants for the actions of a very small minority. Ihe report of the Board of Trade who held an inquiry in Christchurch last November stated most emphatically ‘ that the evidence put before tj } e “ Nearly shows that the majority of the coal retailers have been making quite inadequate profits despite the increase in the retail price of coal, because prices have scarcely kept pace' with the costs of the majority of businesses.”

Recently, a letter appeared dn a Christchurch paper from a householder complaining that he had bought a bag of coal and that the bag contained halt slack. This quite true, but under a regulation issued by the Minister of Munitions, coal merchants dT& absolutely prohibited from screening coal. Most of the coal which is discharged at Lyttelton is mine screened, and by the time it has gone through its various handlings the size has not improved. In pre-war days merchants screened the coal in their yard before supplying it to the public, but they are not now allowed to do this owing to the great shortage. If a merchant receives a truck which contains 30 per cent of slack (and this is a low estimate as the New Zealand coals are very friable) this latter costs buu just as much as the qoal does. ■ . ® Ol no months ago a regulation was issued by the Christchurch. Coal Trade Committee that merchants must not deliver any hard coal without delivering a similar quantity, of lignite- This regulation: was necessary J to. enable the public to get a fair distribution. The result of this regulation . was-a great increase .of labour for: the coal merchant. • ■ '' ’ ■

~T Ke 'PhMic frequently ask : the qnes™>n.,s by is it some, lignite coals are so dear?’ The answer ‘is that some .otthe lignite co'als have to come from Otago and Southland, on which the railage alone varies from, il B to 19s per ton. Thus,: some inferior lignites which come from further south than others may cost more . u han ' a better class of lignite which ■ is not so'far smith,- owing to the difference m railage,• . .. ... . In arriving at the -price list which the JNorth Canterbury Coal .Merchants’ Association sends out to its members a gross margin of .19s per ton on all coals is .allowed for cartage, bagging, office expenses, rent , of yard, delivery to consumer, etc-, and profit, arid when . « 3 tho cost per ton .Christchurch railway station, the retail price is arrived at. This 19s per ton is made up as follows:

Per ton. Cartage from truck to vard . , 2-6 Loss on sacks . . . , # _ x’o Office and yard expenses , . i .20 Bad debts and depreciation ... ,06 Loss in weight 'through evaporation, etc! 1 6 Delivery to consumer i: , . .80 Cash, discount allowed, to, consumer . 3 '0 Wet profit to coal merchant . .. .. o'6

These are the approximate figures which the Board or Trade'had before them, and which proved to them beyond doubt that the retail coal merchant was making quit© inadequate profits. Another loss which the retail coal merchant has to hear is in connection with the railage on lignite coals. The Rapway Department 'have a regulation which ; compels a consignee to pay railage on a minimum of sis tons, although there may be, only five and a half tons in a truck. On coal which has been brought a long distance, this is a serious item, for the coal merchant. It means a further loss to him of anything from 5s fid to 9s on a truck of coal, or an additional loss of Is to Is fid per ton;

For the guidance of the public, the current prices fixed-by the Coal Mercnants Association are undernoted

These prices are subject to a discount of 3s per ten for spot cash, or 2s per ton if paid on or before the tenth of the, month following delivery. Bags are not- .

Prices, however, are constantly changing, but the above price list shows the approximate current prices. Of courte, some of the miblic may have to. pay slightly more than these prices. Most of the retail coal merchants do their own carting, and a merchant is entitled to charge a little more for hie labour if the. householder’s coal bin is more than the average distance from the road or if it is difficult of access. It takes nearly as long for the coal merchant to reach a house with one hag of coal as it would do if he were able to take a ton, and the relative cost of delivering one bag as against one ton is out of all proportion. H*© public think they are being exploited by a coal merchant their best plant would be to write to the newspapers, giving the name of the merchant who they think is exploiting them, and the committee of the North Canterbury Coal Merchants’ Association would welcome this method of protecting the public against this exploita-

Name of Coal. Ton. J-Ton. : i-Ton.-Bag. Australian , . s. 68 ‘ S. 55 d. 0 s. 17 d. ■ g ’ 8. d. 9 Brighton 65 53 0 16 6 g 6 Kaitangata ' C5 31 6 15 9 5 3 Block Diamond . 61 . .30 6 15 3 o Wairio 1 62 31 0 15 6 ~ 3 Wairaki ) ' Blackball EO SO .0 IS 0 g o Coaldale 1 Mossbank ) 60 30 0 13 0 5 o Brunner ) Shag Point m 23 6 ■14 0 g o Mount Torlessa . 5S 29 0 14 6 5 o Mount Wallace ) ,54 , 27 0 13 6 4 6 Homebush 1 Woronui ) 53 *23 s 13 -8 4 6 Whitecliffs 1 Taratu SO 25 0 : 12 6 A 8 Groan’s Coal ), Diamond , ) ' 40 24 « 12 8 , i s Mataura ) Benhar . 47 23 6 11 9 4 0 Stockton Nuts . '57 2S 6 •• ' 14 X 9 Taratu Nuts 1 47 23 6 11 9 4 0 Waronui Nuts )