STATE COAL MINES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3315, 6 September 1911, Page 6

STATE COAL MINES.

MR HERRIES’ POINTED ATTACK

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 5. Mr Herries this evening made a pointed, attack on the State coal mines 2>olicy. He said the Seddonville State coal mine had always been, and still was, carried on at a loss, while the Point Elizabeth mine, by means of careful bookkeeping, showed a small profit, but if it had had to bear all the charges that ought to have been placed upon it lie believed it would show a loss. The Runanga township was charged to the Lands Department, whereas a private mining company would have'bad to' pay for it, and there were other charges in the same position. The Seddonville mine had produced small coal that would not sell, and so the briquette works were started, but the result was that the loss was doubled. He questioned whether .the State coal department had really reduced the price or C °Mr Colvin and Mr Ell: “Oh, yes it has.” > . . Mr Herries said it was a very laudable purpose to reduce tlie price of coal to the working man, but he thought statistics would show that it had not been achieved. He did not see what benefit the State coal business was to anybody. Their lorries maimed the citizens, and when they rented premises the neighbors fled from the nuisances that were created.