IMPORTATION OF COAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1005, 23 June 1930, Page 1

IMPORTATION OF COAL

THREATENED DUTY TO CUT OFF AUSTRALIA GAS COMPANIES PROTEST Press Association WELLINGTON, Today. It is understood that representations have been made to the Government on behalf of the gas companies regarding the probable effect of a duty on imported coal, the action being the outcome of the movement in the direction of imposing a dumping duty. The case for the companies, as submitted to the Government, may be summarised as follows: First, that there is no subsidy, bonus or similar Government monetary assistance given or allowed to exporters of Australian coal to New Zealand, New Zealand being, it is stated, regarded as Australia in respect to the payment of an export bounty; second, that it is absolutely necessary, under modern conditions of gas-making, to use a proportion of coal of the character produced in the northern mines of New South Wales, and not produced in the mines of New Zealand. Records kept by the Wellington Gas Company, it is stated, show that since its supplies from Newcastle were cut off the output of gas a ton of coal fell from approximately 22,000 cubic feet to 17,000 cubic feet a ton, and additional expense, amounting to over A- *OO a month, was Incurred by the company through carbonising other than Newcastle coals. The Government s attention is directed, furthermore, to the competition of fuel oils which are admitted duty free from foreign countries. If a duty is placed on Australian coal, it is stated there will be no alternative but to raise the price of gas. .