COAL FREIGHTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1921, Page 4

COAL FREIGHTS.

AN INCREASE ANNOUNCED. COAL TO BE DEARER. It was announced on Saturday that the freight rate on coal conveyed by the Union S:eam .Ship Company from West Coast ports to Wellington had been increased by 2s 9d per ton. Wellington coal dealers have been informed by the merchants that in consequence of this increase, the price of coal has been advanced by 2s 9d per ton. The amount is likely to be passed on by the dealers to the consumers at once, Tlie minimum freight on coal between , the West Coast and Wellington is now 13s lid per ton. In 1914 it was 6s 7d per ton, and it had increased to 9s 7d, an advance of 72 per cent, by 1918. The freight now announced represents an ins crease of 149 per cent on the 1(04 rate. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Dunedin, Last Night. Attention having been drawn to creases in freights on coal from Wettport and Grey mouth, Mr. C. Holdworth (managing director of the Union SJS. Co.) said the rates of freight charged up to the end of last month were not nearly sufficient to meet the expenses of the steamers employed on the West Coot. In these circumstances the increases were absolutely necessary and for the next twelve months the coal companies bad agreed to advances varying from 2s 9d a ton to Wellington and Lyttelton ta a maximum of 5s a ton to a roadstead? port.