Symposium Rev@als Important Pacts About Britain's Coal Industry

The Financial Times of 26th Juns, 1963, carried 4 report of a symposium = "Prosperity Movement" held in London on June 25th, and organised by Richard Sutcliffe Ungineering Systems of Horbury, YorEs. ome revealing information came to light in the contritutions made by the participants: Sixty per cent of coal price is for transport: Almost exactly half the price of house coal — £11 a ton in London = results from charges after the coal leaves the - colligry and a very large amount of this — £5.10s — is for handling and transport. These facts were given by Mr. H.H, Browne, deputy chairman of the National Coal Board, “If te~ these cort.," he continued, "we now add . the average transport ‘> cost at the collisry, we find that over 60% of the total price paid by the cust— omer is accounted for by transport." Coal-geetting processes now sizt at cent meshanised: Mr. Browne also spoke of o inerease in mechanisation of coal~gatting processes — from 10% to 60% in the last cight years, “If we are to oxploit the full potential of automation, mechanised operations must increase," he said, He - nt about tho-introduction at two i Midlend collieries of equipment for coal—getting without having men at the coal fs foce, In answers to questions, Mr. Browne showed what the consequences of this retionalisation were in terms of manpower, when hoe said that once 1.25 mallion men were employed in coal mining, "In the last five years," he continued, "we ‘have reduced jobs in mining by 185,000 mon and closed 125 pits." Railways move 130 m. tons of coal s year: The following figures were given for movement of coal by rail: 130 m. tons a year moved by main-line railways; about 3,800 stations receive coal; 400,000 coal wagons are employed; and each day ¢,500 trains are engaged in carrying coal or returning empty wegonss