COAL FROM OVERSEAS

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 2, 27 September 1921, Page 6

COAL FROM OVERSEAS

LAST YEAR’S HEAVY IMPORTATIONS “A HUGE EXTRA BURDEN” The coal position in New Zealand was referred to last night by Air. G. Mitchell, M.P., in a report presented to the Central Progiress League. "The threatened trouble in our mines some time ago, and a feeling that they could not to relied upon to produce tho coal necessary for the country’s requirements, compelled those in authority to make provision from outside sources,” he stated. "Figures will show the huge extra burden which that want of confidence has placed on ,thq people, the miners themselves now being the greatest sufferers. We are imjxirting larger and still larger quantities of coal at very high- costs. Many of our own mines and miners are idle, coal boats are laid up and their hands paid off, thus adding their quota to the unemployed, and we are sending thousands of pounds out of the country, which is no badly wanted here to keep tho wheels of progress moving. The production of our own hard coal-' has steadily decreased while the importation has gone up with a '"The following table gives the imports of coal according to, (1) the Customs returns, (2) th,e actual amount shipped to New Zealand from all sources according to coal control returns, (3) the amount of bituminous and semi-bituminous coal mined in New Zealand:—

The report continues: —"Althou'gh the Customs give £514,24$ as the cost of 476,343 tons of coal last year, it is.estimated by authorities consulted that the average landed cost was not under £4 per ton, u total of £1,905,372 on the y Customs figures, or on the coal control figures, which|is the actual amount shipped to this country. Yet mqre unfortunate still is the fact, if my information is correct, that large forward contracts hare been entered into by the Government for overseas coal which will cost probably twice the price at which New Zealand coal could to purchased. I understand that an officer in now in Australia making an effort to • vary some of the contracts. If this is so, it is to be hoped his mission is successful. Allowing that provision had to be made againot a possible mining strike, we seem to have badly over-bought at\ peak prices. Whatever the cause, we are sending thousands of pounds out of the country while our own coal remains in the earth nnd our ships-nnd men stand idle. We have always found it necessary to import hard coal, but with Coal and labour available in our own countrysuch imports should now to reduced to a minimum. We trust and believe that the same, or any other causes, will not make it necessary to import so' largely In the future.”

Oustoms. returns. 'Price. Coal control, returns. Tons Mined in N.Z. Tons Tons. £ 1916 293.956 189,62? 293,956 1.422,074 1917 291,597 214,152 291.597 1,247.989 1918 256,332 202,102 255,332 1,122.308 1919 391,434 3S2.016 455.494 961.107 1920 476,343 514,249 647,077 923,535 'Does not include freight, etc.