COAL FOR CHRISTCHURCH

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160725, 11 August 1920, Page 6

COAL FOR CHRISTCHURCH

AN EXPENSIVE SHIPMENT* CHEISTCHCKCH, August 8., Tho wording of a circular sent out this week by a Christchurch coal retailing firm caused a slight scare, for this circular stated that, owing to extra transport and minor charges, the price of coal would be increased by 24s a ton. A reporter on making inquiries found that this notice did not have a general application to all coal, but only to tho Australian coal brought to Lyttelton recently by tho Japanese vessel Tersho Maru. The price for this coal will bo about ,£5 5s a ton, Tho cost of the coal ex ship is 75s a ton, and railage to Christchurch is 5s lOd a ton. The Torsho Maru brought approximately ' 4500 toms of Newcastle coal to Lyttelton. Of this tho Christchurch Gas Company has secured 1500 tons, and the balance has been allocated by the Government Coal Trade Committee to industries and trade. The latter will receive about 2000 tons. There is practically no other coal available at present for the gen eras, trade, and already there is a keen demand for the higher-priced Australian coal. There arc complaints among the public about tho high price of coal, but one dealer stated that the income from his business was considerably smaller than it was before the war, partly duo to an insufficient supply. "If things go on as they are the best thing those in the coal trade .<niu do is to close down,” he concluded. Probably the Board of Trade will bo requesteTT from different sources to make investigation into tho charges allowed for working expenses in the coal trade.