SALE OF STATE COAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 63, 19 June 1916, Page 7

SALE OF STATE COAL.

CHEAPER THAN FROM PRIVATE MINES. Some information relative to the retailing of coal from the State mines was given by the Minister for Mines (the Hon W. I). S. MacDonald) in the House of Representatives when replydug to a question by dir P. C. Webb 'Grey). The Minister stated ; “Re- [ taiI prices for coal charged hy State !depots are as follow: Wanganui, £1 j Id? per ton; Wellington, £1 13s per ,ton; Christchurch, £1 13s per ton; and Dunedin, £1 Ids per ton. It is , impossible to ascertain accurately the prices charged by private coal-dealers, but, generally speaking, these are from ds to 8s per ton more than those of the State eoal-depots, and in odd eases even more.. Since the beginning of the war the State has not .raised its prices. So far as can be ascertained private coal-mines and coal-dealers have raised their prices in all parts of Now Zealand since August, 1911.” i Mr Webb said that the Minister’s

answer must have been almost a revelation to members of the House. On the average State coal was sold at 0s a ton less than other coal; and on the two million tons produced from private mines it would mean a saving of L'ooo,ooo a year to the community if that coal was sold at the

same rate as the State coal. Or, to put it another way, if the Gs extra was charged on the 200.000 tons produced from the State mines, those mines would show a balance to the good of £60,000 a year. He thought that the State coal mines had been almost as great a benefit to the people of New • Zealand a| the State Fire Office. In, , VictoiMij two-thirds of their coal was prcfluccd from the State mines, and New South Wales and Queensland were going to open State' mines. In Germany, twentytwo trillion tons of coal was produced from flip State mines.