COAL DUTY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 660, 10 November 1909, Page 3

COAL DUTY.

Sir,—lt is evident from your criticism of Triday last, dealing with lUr. Wiliord's question relating to the imposition of a duty upon imported coal, that the subject .is, one, with which you are: but impericctly ' acquainted. The ;only. ..cause for ..astonishment, in my opinion, is that the Government has not long ago seriously .considered this matter of its own motion, especially as it has itself. entered upon the/dovelopmew of coal areas as • a State industry. . . . . „ . ..':;. ' This is not the first'time the suggestion has been made, but no action having been taken,' and the import of coal has grown until it has now reached, over 250,000 tons per annum, a quantity sufficient to keep two moderate-sized collieries at full and proiitable work'iu New Zealand, employing-500. to 600 men, and distributing wages in , our.own,country instead/of l in Australia; besides 'giving employment to various , other branches .of industry connected with the coal trade. : .' ■ ■ ■■■

It is unlikely that the general consumer will trouble himself about the proposal. Tho'imposition of a duty would- not affect him adversely. On the contrary, ho would.probably .benefit by the cheapening of supplies: due \ to an increased-output-following on tho development of new mines, or the more Tegular' and constant output of tho existing ones. ■.'-'■. '■■• It may surprise you to learn that an import .tax on coal is levied in no fewer than twentyone Brijisli countries. Of ■ these/ the most 'im-portant-is Canada, which levies 20 per cent, ad valorem on. slack that will pass through a half-inch screen, and 2s. 6d. per ton on round coal, and ruji-of-the-mine,' and all other kinds, while admitting anthracite coal.free.; In' : New-. f oundland, differential rates are charged, according to the port into which the coal is imported. Thus bituminous coal imported into the port of St. Johns, pays a ; Custom?/duty of 'fe. l.Gd. per ton; whereas when impb.i-ted' into the port of Placentia tho duty is piiiy-ls. 2.8 d. per ton. The Australian .Commonwealth. ■ levies' no Customs duty on imports of coal and patent fuel, but taxes coke to; the extent of 4s. per ton.. This effectually precluded the export of coke from this colony to Australia, but has had a remarkable effect upon the manufacture of coke within the parent Stato'of, New South Wales.whoro Eonio thousands of tons of this article are now produced • annually, from' tho small coal, hitherto wasted, of the local"mines,: giving employment to hundreds of men, besides stimulating and' nssisting other manufacturing and mining, industries. The South African Customs Yaiion admits neither coal nor coke free of duty. The former has to pay 35., and the latter-2s. per ton. In the cases mentioned, the object of the. duty is as much to develop local .resources-' as to- provido revenue.. This condition,. however, does hot equally . apply to' Barbadocs, which taxes coal and coke-imports by 2s. 6d. -per ton; to Dominica, which levies 6s. per'ton; or, to several , of tho other West Indian : Islands, whose rates of duty range from 2s. to 2s. Cd. per ton.'; Air'kinasi'.of fuel af'e" admitted freo into Malta,'and Gibraltar, HongKong, Bermuda,.-Jamaica, and some / others, but there aro special roasons in ;thcse countries, and in. any case the conditions are ■ quite different to tho self-governing dominions, boyond the seas,( possessing thein own. coal ,-resources, tho development of Tyhicli it should bo .the aim of every wisp Administration. - tb ; ; encourage. Indeed, it-has..been a matter for, comment and surprise in British trado journals that in view, of tho vast coal resources of Now South Wales, Queensland, and Now Zealand, that free coal has been the rule 60 long. It is to bo honed that the Government will take a statesmanlike' and patriotic l view of this important, matter! and return a favourable' reply' to' Mr. 'Wilford's question.—l am, etc., _. '-...■" ■: \ ;■ :. /: .■■■■;■'.-' ■;; E. G. HLCHER. [The question referred to was; as has been explained already, put by Mr. Wilford on'behalf of Mr. Guinness.l • v ■,":■ .