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THE COAL INDUSTRY
; COAL COMMISSION
EVIDENCE IS TENDERED
Bg A FOREIGN EXPERT
Sydney, Saturday.
jimence as to tao living standard
of tho German and Centrai ±.urouean
miners, as compared with the Austra-
lian standard, was giren before the
Coal Commission yesterday by Mr. A.
E. Broue, a technologist, who said that
in Germany, France, and Belgium uu_
conomic mines had been closed and in
some cases, uneconomic parts of mines
had been similarly dealt with, leaving1
only the economic parts in operation
Asked how the economic conditions
in Australia could ; be improved, Mr.
Broue said there were too many mines
open for economic requirements.
Questioned as to shale products, Mr
Broue said the oil from Newnes had
been admitted by experts, to be the
finest obtainable. Its odor made it
objectionable, but he had heard Ger-
man experts edplore that they had not
in Germany deposits such as were to
be found in Australia.
In the course of further evidence,
Mr. Broue stated. that a hydrogen
process plant which would cost £100 in
Germany would, owing to labor con-
ditions, cost £250 here, and whereas
a German would work in a dangerous
atmosphere for 12 marks á day, the
Australian worker would want re-
latively far more, because of the dan-
ger. Taking the absic wage in Austra-
lia at 15/ a day for an eight-hour day,
the German would get 8/ for a lOi
hour day. Owing to' the fine adjust-
ment of economic conditions in Cen.
tral Europe, the German, miner waa
definitely 'better fed,, . housed, . and
clothed than the Australian miner,
and th© German also contrived to save
money. Work in Germany was con-
ducted on the premise that coal must
be got to tho surface at the lowest
possible price, in order to keep other
industries going. ^
I Mr. Mallet (owners) said he natl
doubts as to the soundness of the
Tjolicy of picking the eye. out of every,
thing Just to keep industries going.
What, he asked, would be the position
at the «nd of 20 years?
Mr. Broue said that the .imoressioT
be intended to convex Was that th«
worst* coal was discarded in favor ol
what was economic.
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