PETONE'S MUNICIPAL COAL

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2157, 25 May 1914, Page 8

PETONE'S MUNICIPAL COAL

HOW DEALERS VIEW-IT.

A reporter interviewed a number of coal dealers at I'ctoue with the objwt of ascertaining the efat on their trace, _ iu consMjUMico of ife Lnrlmcils sthenics to provide «al at" a roauced rate: Otic deafer described the venture as "silly," "Whr," Jμ said, "it tho fiouiicil had tried anv otlujt commodity I eouia understand'it, but they Mil never reduce the price--of bofti. NW, look," ho continued, ''eoai is advertised for sale at Is. 6d. jjor «t, as against ~'s. 3d., mir present price. Bat you must bear in mind tonf, ouf cftal'is screened, and <leHvci»cl'on credit, wlwraas you μ-ay spot cash and receive the council's unscreened conl. We have 3iad unscreened coal for sate for years at Is. 9d. per cwt., which, after delivwy, wenla bring the council's coal jhw U abttut the , same price, Bat very few pooplo wanted it, because of the "wast©. The council's scheme has not affected our trade, because we get tk> cartage, dud I vefttnte to say that in n tew weeks tlvp demand for tl«> kiael of article mentioned will cca«o."

Another dealer stated that if tho public wished to have this elnss of coal his firm would sell it at the ESrofi price as the council. "You do not β-ftwi hear <rf anyone making a fertmio out of this business," he continued. You have gerf to work, and work hard, to live at it." One informant ventured the opinion that the dealers vfoufel probably 'get a boatload themselves if the demand kept up. "There aro sis of us," bo said, "and we cau each store 50 tons. This business," i-ifl continued, "will not run a boss. He has to work' nil iwurs and never get* any 'overtime. I am this moment delivering sercctied <x>at to ft customer, who, after .trying tho 1.H.1scroened article, has asked m<? to change it for gjtied coal, jty trn.de has not sufferred in any way,"

Another merchant admitted thai his trade had bcon affected. Ho Would,, be said, do better under the old conditions then by relying on delivering. Hβ thought that- the only way iti rtialtc the coal business a success' was to "shift" about 2 tons every 'morning before Breakfast, and tho same awowifc after tea at night. ■ A visit to tho Municipal coal depot, Tkhvcwt, slid wed that there was something ill the Mature of a fiißh for tho. cheap article, ami anotlvcr shipnwfllt is expected in a few days, ■ •