COAL INDUSTRY.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20173, 27 February 1931, Page 18

COAL INDUSTRY.

SOCIALISATION SCHEME. ' NEW SOUTH WALES BILL. (TROK OTO OWH COBaBSPOKDEKT.) j SYDNEY, February 19. It seems certain now that the Labour Government of New South "Wales is going to apply its socialisation plans to the coal industry. During recent years the industry has suffered much, but thiß seems to be the last straw. No more drastic proposals can bo imagined than those that have been drawn up by the Minister for Mines (Mr Baddeley) and submitted to the unions concerned for their approval. Of course, the owners of the mines have not been consulted, nor will they be. The Labour Government is likely to show little concern for those who have their all invested in the mines.

It was announced a fortnight ago that the Government proposed to establish a Board to control the industry—a Board with a Labour stalwart, as its chairman, and with at least one representative Of the miners on it. Here are some of the vast powers which it is proposed to give that Board:—

(a) The Board shall have power to determine at such times and for such periods as it may decide, the maximum pit-head price at which every class o£ coal produced in tho district shall be. sold or applied for use. (b) To enquiro into! and take into account in fixing the price of coal the efficiency or inefficiency of mining management or equipment. (c) To control the location oft, coal, to decide the uses to which coal is most suited, or to compulsorily acquire same.

(d) To fix from time to time the conditions on which any mino shall be allowed to mine coal.

(e) To require that owners of coalmines shall keep their accounts relating to the industry in a prescribed form. <f) To enquiro into the subjects of pits in relation to capital. (g) To require the cwner of each colliery to supply a valuation of assets which are actually employed at each colliery in the winning of coal. (h) To fix the profits that shall be allowed to the owners of coal-mines after making certain allowances for the proper costa of production. It is also provided "Jn the Bill that the owners shall contribute to a speciaj fund from which tho Board will draw its revenue.