COAL MINES COMMISSION REPORT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 74, 7 August 1901, Page 2

COAL MINES COMMISSION REPORT.

t [MB PBBSS AfIaOOIUIW.J t Wellihokmt, Augmt S. The report of the Oo»l Mints Com- . mission was Uid on the table ot tue , Hou«e this meraing. The Commission . r»or.mmends tLe apnntmsos of it Ohi-f I Inspector of Otal Mines for the co'ouy, who ihonld be a man of high qualiI fieit»on». Mines should b» inspect d , more frequently than has hitherto be m (j ; h» practice, and toe provisions of t*» t , Act, and regulations should he atriotl/ . carried out and the forfeiture cltuw« i anferoed where mines are either >x<<.I worked for nny considerable periods, i I are ne;jleote<». A determined filji* I should be tntda to take «tock of onr ooii resources. Immediate efforts should be made to psoutain whero coal beiring ( an situated and such lmda , should not b-i wild, and the Commission recommends to the rori'ideration of the Ministers n M>und policy «f rst serving to the State the co >1 ar*n not now alienated or worked. As to t v >e cost of coal, the Oommistion brieves that if the Sfat», which now buys a large quantity of oa' *t a moderate price, would sell such coal at a fair price to oonsumers, the grievance now complained of would vanish, and 'he result would be that whi'e the 8 a'o would fix the retail price of ooal, the present de-lers would sell st suon prici and would not be injured. The Commissioners state:—Thae<tablishment of a coil mine owned and worked by the Btate has been much pre«sed upon ws by many, but it is a question involving io many po'itieal considerations that we feel it is eminently bayond our functions sni is only to be d alt with and decide I by Parliament, but in the meant inntha aoqu : siti)n by individuals of area* which may be required for the peipt* generally jhou'd be prevented. We were much pressed to reoommni a differential rate on the various oU«sps >f coal carried. I* was urged th»t slaok and nuts shoiill ba carried at a lower rate than round roal, but we regres we are un*ble to ratce <ny recommendation thereon. It is matter re»lly outside the scope of onr Commission, and is one reUting to railway administration. W e are aware that an experiment of ohnrgiog lesser rates for lower ohsses of coal was made, and was found not to work svirfasitonly. We oommend the subject to the setinus considera ion of the authorities. Much evidence was offered us to which we Wt unable ss well as unwilling to object on the subject of rh« rost of production. The esse of the Westport Company's coal, which is oroduced at 7s 10J a ton in railway trucks at Waitnangiroa, and is retailed in Wellington at XI 15s a ton »»t, is a striking example of the cost of distribution. The Moksu ooal is nro» duoed. at %h$ niat at 8i M, ao« If *U

is New Plymouth retnil at £1 Us prr ■ton. The game proportion practically exists throngh the colony. Wa believe . that if the State, which now buys a large quantity of coal at a moderate price, would sell such c:al at a fair pri a to consumers, the grievance now complained of would vanish, and the result would ba that while the State : would fix a fc>ir retail pri.e of foal the pitssnt de?l»rs would sell at such pricj and would not be injured.