THE COAL TRADE.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 44, 17 August 1894, Page 2

THE COAL TRADE.

«_ — , In the House on Wednesday the question of the coal monopolies in the Colony was discussed, and the enormous prices charged in Wellington were described as most exhorbitant, when compared with the price paid at the pit's mouth or port of shipment. It was arranged on the suggestion of the Premier, that a return should be prepared showing the retail prices for West Loast and Newcastle coal at various ports of the Colony. The vVauganui Herald of Wednesday in commenting on the arrival in that port of a steamer specially chartered to bring a cargo of coal from Newcastle, says this necessity did not arise because the New Zealand coal mines were unequal to the demand upon them. Th« reason is that consu in era bave now to pay ten or fifteen shillings more per ton for coal tban they had befure the trade became a monopoly. Our cou temporary remarks that : -It 6eeuis absurd to offer a Nutius on the export of New Zealand coal at a time when the Colony is annually importing 160,000 tons of ■ oal from New .^outh Wales. If the luiuers iv New Zealand were worked to the extent of this extra output and tha importation of coal stopped by i lie lessened price of the local article, all classes here would benefit, as manufacturers and others who übb steam power would be able to get their coal at a roasonablo price and to employ moro workers.'' cSir Robert Stout, who defended the monopolists, said that the mines on the West t oast had not paid their shareholders ordinary bank interest for their money, a statement which we aro not inclined to accept without a large grain of salt. The return of the prices paid by consumers in the Colony should prove both interesting and instructive.