RAILWAY COMMISSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 October 1919, Page 4

RAILWAY COMMISSION.

THE SHIPPING PHASE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Oct. 3. Mr James Findlay, New Zealand manager for the Shaw, Savill and Albion Shipping Co., and chairman of the Overseas Shipping Committee, examined at to-day's sitting of the Railway Commission, said the coal by the steamer Raranga was refused in February, 1917, the price being 21s per ton. About that time the committee had two boats handy, which might have carried about 4000 tons each, but in view of the previous rejection they were not offered. He produced correspondence showing that the offer of his company in May, 1917, to bring over coal in June of that year was refused by the Railway Department. There had been a coal shortage before 1917, and he did not think there was any big rush on Home liners in those days to bring over coal. Probably the steamers could have been obtained for the carriage of coal before then, but he could not say at what price. It was likely that in 1916 it would have cost 35s per ton to get a vessel to carry coal to New Zealand from Newcastle on a time charter. He had recommended that the charge for coal from Newport News, America, be 26s per ton. That was declared to be unprofitable, and was raised to 40s, which did not result in any great profit Mr E. E. Gillon, chief railway mechanical engineer, giving evidence, said he would rather have a ton of Newcastle coal than a ton of Westport. Westport had to twdergo severe handling before it reached the railway locomotives, but there was no such disability in connection with coal from Newcastle. The coal from the Newcastle mines was of a harder description.

The Commission leaves for Christ' church to-night