COMPETITION IN COAL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 188, 6 September 1909, Page 2

COMPETITION IN COAL.

The action of the Westport Coal Company in discharging some 200 men from their Granity Creek mine, owing to the slackness of the demand for coal, is causing a good deal of local agitation, especially in veiw of the fact that the Government is importing Newcastle coal in Melbourne owned steamers for use on the railways. Air.or.gst the reasons for the slackness of the demand are mentioned the good winter in Canterbury the shutting down of freezers, the laying up of 10 of the Union Company's boats, the competition of Newcastle coal, 1,213, tons of which were landed in the last six months, compared with 012.01> tons for the corresponding period last year. and the competiation of Waikato coal, wia the North Island Main Trunk line. and he general dulness of trade in the Dominion. The Government's importation of Newcastle coai is a particularly* sore point, and in many quarters there is a demand for a protective duty. The Stockton Mlnerr Union, in view of the widespread distress, passed a resolution deploring tne Government's action in importing >-ewcaslle coal, and considers such action a breach of the trust reposed in the Literal Government by labour, organisations. A public meeting in Westport rseoltevd: "That importation of Australian coal iiito the Dominion is increasing, the railways are 'arge purchasers of imported coal, that l_the mines in this district are working at reduced output owing xo the scarcity of orders, that the Westport Coal Company today finds it necessary to give 250 coal miners notice, that their services are no longer require", anc the meeting further urges on Car.mer the necessity of making a full arc complete inquiry into the cuascrs that bring this undesiraclo static:' things about, and if need Ice tc irtrcduee such legislation as will ensure the regular and systematic working of the Dominion's own coal mea-ures."