STATE COAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1524, 21 August 1912, Page 5

STATE COAL.

QUESTION IN PARLIAMENT.

A MINISTERIAL STATEMENT.

In the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon, the Hon. R. M'Kenzie (Motueka) gave notice of a question as to whether the Government proposed to olose down retail State coal depots. The Hon. W. Fraser (Minister for Mines) suggested that there was no need to give .notico of the question, as he was ready to answer it at once. ■The Hon. R. M'Kenzie said that his reason for putting the question, on the Order Paper was that tho House might have an opportunity of discussing it. ■ If the question wore answered at once, it could not be discussed. Mr. J, Colvin (Buller) then, asked the Minister without notico whether it was true as stated in The Dominion of August 1!) that tho Government' had decided to close the retail depots for tho sale of coal. The Hon. W. Fraser said lie was'afraid the honourable gentleman was, one of those individuals who believed in what he saw in a newspaper only when ho wanted to believe it. The honourable gentleman had taken no account of tho public refutation of the statement in the "Post" of tho same evening. Mr. J. Colvin said he was perplexed by the, fact that tho statement had never been contradicted in the official Government organ. Tho Hon. TV. Eraser i If the honourable gentleman thinks that, any members of the,'.. Cabinet are conducting the paper which he calls tho "Government organ," but' which other people call The Dominion '. Mr. L. M. Isitti Yes, absolutely. .• The Hon. W. Fraser: He is vastly mistaken. They put in exactly what they please, and not what we want. He added that the report which had appeared in The Dominion had not come from him, nor from any member of the Government. Not only that,'but it was contrary to fact. Nothing, had been decided about State depots at till. Everything in the State Coal Department was going on as usual, and extensive works were in pro&ress at the new-mine. This did not show that t : :e Government had any intention of closing the- whole business up. Mr. G. Witty: Was The Dominion asked to contradict the statement? The Hon. W. Fraser: I didn't ask them to''contradict it. . If I bad done so it might he that I could be accused of conducting the paper. I did ask The Dominion who gave them the information, and they declined to tell me. Mr. J. Colvin suggested that the subject had been under consideration, and that the news.had leaked out in some way. TheiHon. W. Fraser declnredthjt the talk of leakage was nonsense. Nothing had-leaked out.

The. Hon. R. M'Kenzie: Point of order. Is a statement made before the -House open to be.debated? The Hon. W.' Fraser: I am not debafc-. ing it, Sir. The Hon. R. M'Kenzie: The member for Buller is debating it. The Hon. W. Fraser said, in conclusion, that he did not want to leave uncontradicted'the statement that thero had been leakage of news through the Department. This was entirely without foundation.

THE POSITION IN CHRISTCHURCH. ■ (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) : Christchurch, August 20. ■ In connection with . the rumour that the .Government intends to, close,the State coal depots in the various centres of the Dominion, the position of the coal trade would indicate that so far, from doing so the Government' will ,havo to' consider means, of incrcnsing the supply of household . coal to consumers. There is .a marked shortage • 'of! coal in - Christchurch. The. position; is similar in. the North Island, whero coke is now being consumed in consequence in large quantities. A ■ coal merchant informed a newspaper representative to-day that Newcastle .coal had come, to tlie rescue and saved' the'"position; otherwise the North Island Main Trunk would have been" held up. Had it not been for Newcastle coal, ho said, tho. people, ojf,.New Zealanfl .would probably, litiv'e been without" coal for househeld use in the winter months. The rise in, tho price of coal of recent:years has been rather 'a'serious matter for the consumer, and the follow- ( ; ing table of prices in 1906 (the, year the State coal depot opened in Christchurch) f jid 1912 shows that the advent of the ( Overnment as a coal-dealer has not done much to cheapen the cost of coal:— Foreign. ;-., ■■ ■ ■ > 190 G. 1912. • . £ £ Pelawmain 1 14 0 1.7. 0 Aberdare 1 14 0 17 0 Abermain Ili 0 * 117 0 ' New Zealand. : • Coalbrookdale 1 1 19 0 1 17 0 Westport-Stockton ... —- • 1 17 0 Blackball 1 10 0 1 11. 0 State ; 1 10 0 1 33 0 Kaitangata 18 0 1 14 0 Homebush 1 4 0 1 6 0