COAL-MINING INDUSTRY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 221, 6 September 1930, Page 8

COAL-MINING INDUSTRY

CRISIS ON THE WEST COAST. DEPUTATION TO MEET MR. RANSOM. Westport, Sept. 5. The coal-mining crisis has created a tenso feeling in the mining community. It was evident this evening when the Town Hall in Westport was unable to accommodate a large gathering that assembled for a public meeting convened for the purpose of discussing the crisis. The Mayor, Mr. Harkness, presided, and numerous speeches were made calling attention to unemployment caused at the mines by the Government’s action in reducing orders for coal for tho railways and in allowing subsidised New {South Wales coal to come into the country to compete with New Zealand coal. The following resolution was carried and Messrs. J. H. Enright, G. Flavell, Russell and Lock were appointed a deputation to proceed to Wellington and interview the acting Prime Minister: “That this representative public meeting of coal owners, miners and the general public of the Buller district wishes to draw the urgent attention of the Government to the importance of continuing the use of New Zealand coals on the railways and throughout New Zealand, also the need of placing an embargo on imported coal or of levying a duty equal at least to the subsidy being received by Australian exporters from their Government. Unless this is decided upon an important industry will be crippled and large numbers of men now employed in this and cognate industries will be thrown on the already overcrowded labour market. 1 ‘ln view of the large revenue derived by the Government for railage, royalties and port charges, this meeting is convinced it is in the interests of tho Dominion to use New Zealand coal exclusively, and as fur as the Government is concerned the revenue from tho above-mentioned charges more than offsets any savings there might bo to them by using Australian coal; also, that a conference bo called of all parties connected with the business aforementioned, coal owners, miners, shipping and other interests, with tho view of placing the industry on a better basis.”