PRICE OF COAL

Hokitika Guardian, 24 July 1931, Page 4

PRICE OF COAL

POSITION AT WAIKATO. (By Telegraph—Per Press A ssociation) ' HAMILTON, July 22. An impression appears to have been gained that tii'e price of coal lias risen as the result of the operations of a ring. An enquiry df a local dealer in a large way in iT.e town discounts this impression. He states that coal lias been sold at a fixed price in Hamilton for a long time anu that at present it is cheaper here than in any other town in the North Island. Actually, according to figures shown to our representative, the price of coal had dropped os per ton in the last 12 months 'and by 10s in the last 18 months, despite an increase in railage freight by 10 per cent. In July of last year kitchen coal was selling at 44s 6d per ton and house coal at 525. To-day the prices are 40s and 45s respectively. It was true, said the agent in question, that some canvassers mid been going from door to door cutting prices even lower than Tile figures at which coal was stabilised, but it meant that in some cases these men who were actually selling below cost were losing money in order to try . and establish a connection. The reason why coal had come down as it had in the last 18 months was because of u cutting war between .the,, colliery., .companies themselves. They had how discovered, however, that selling below cost price in order try and secure, an advantage over an opponent was not good business, hence the stabilisation. The price of a single bag of coal is stdl 4s cash for kitchen and 4s (>d for household, although a slight error in the published price a few days ago gave the single bag prices at 4s 6d and os.