COAL CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 13 June 1930, Page 6

COAL CONFERENCE

DUTY ADVOCATED

(By Telegraph—Press Association).

CHRISTCHURCH, June 12,

Christchurch distributors of New Zealand coal share to a. large extent the fears expressed by the West Coast miners that Newcastle coal is likely to be dumped into the Dominion during the next few months. It is considered that, in view of the fact that the New South Wales Government i*s practically subsidisig tile''production of Now castle coal, there is'everv justification for the imposition of a. duty of 5s per ton on coal imports from Australia. One man who is interested in a number of mines on the West Coast told a reporter yesterday that when Sir Joseph Ward was Prime Minister he had expressed himself as favourable to the imposition of a duty ol 5s a ton on the imports of coal from Australia, lint the Cabinet had not agreed to the proposal. He thought, howeverthat there was now every probability of such a duty being imposed because of the effect that extensive imports of Newcastle coal would have on the New Zealand mines. During the past year, the railway freight charges on coal brought from certain ol the West Coast mines to Cliristcliurdi had been increased from 14s to 16s 7d a toil, and in the face of this increase there has been a reduction of 4s 3d a 'ton in the price of Newcastle coal in Christchurch. Under the circumstances he felt that, if the New Zealand mines were to compete successfully with Australian coal, a duty on imports was absolutely necessary.

At the present time, there was no shortage of coal in Now Zealand, and all the* mines were working at full pressure. Therefore, the importation of large quantities of Newcastle coal could only result in a smaller demand for Now Zealand coal, with consequentunemployment among the miners.