Greymouth Evening Star, AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE, FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 1901. DUE COAL DEVELOPMENT.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 8 March 1901, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star, AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE, FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 1901. DUE COAL DEVELOPMENT.

Is this district we have again -if current report is true seen yet another change of ownership in our coal leases. When the last transfer was effected we w'ere informed that work would be prosecuted without any further delay. Since then three months have come and gone, and matters remain as they were—not a stroke of work on the uncompleted railway or undeveloped mine. The series of so termed “ unavoidable delays ” that have, from time to time, taken place in connection with the development of our coal measures have been perfectly wonderful while the apathy or lack of back-bone shown by the Government is one of those things, the firmness of the Ministry in other matters considered, that passeth comprehension. At the Grey Harbor Board meeting on Wednesday Mr. Campbell brought the question up and a resolution was passed authorising the Chairman to again communicate with the Premier on the subject and urge immediate action, it being felt that the coal industry in this district is at present in to) critical a condition, and the demand for coal too keen to allow our coal measures to longer lie dormant. As showing how profitable coal lias been of late .we need only pffnt to the Westport Coal Company with its £BO,OOO profit for last year, and the further fact that there has bean practical y a coal famine in New Zealand for twelve

months past —that the supnly has not been nearly equal to the demand. Of course it ■would bo idle t) close our eyes to the fact that allied with the development of our coal measures is the carriage of the minerals to other parts of the colony beyond New Zealand. That a close monoply has existed in this direction and yet exists is admitted, and a good many peop’o hold that mon..ply studies its own interest first; that of Westport second and our coal development and port just as it suits numbers one or two. If our mineral resources are to be devc'oped in a proper and ligitimato manner, this monopoly must cease, or be prepared

to study the interests of this port as keenly as it does that of the Duller. The Union Company tj which we refer is a splendid service, but also a splendid monopoly, and like all monopolies will have its own way as long as it can. It is, however, quite amenab e to reason, and when shown that certain things are required of it, otherwise, Government may bee me carriers, will speedily conform of the new order of things. Suffice it to say

that coal is a scarce commodity ; that we have it in abundance in this district ;that that abundance has in the past been “ tied up ” in the interests of individuals, and that such “ tying up ” has seriously retarded this district, and helped to create a coal famine. The remedy is a very easy one for the Government. If present holders will not develop their leases as provided for, then let the Mines Department step in, and open and developo the mines as State concerns. To do this would be a practical fulfilment of the policy so long advocated by the Liberal Party in power.