Mr. Horatio Robertson wished to know what was the company's: policy regarding Mentoukou _Mine. Could they sell 250 tons' of the 500 tons they mined per day?
'The' Chairian—I have told "you we are selling it. output without the slightest trouble?
Mr. A. W. Burkill" replied.—He stated that he had been to Mentoukow after an absence of some years. and he was very favourably im- 4 pressed by all he saw there. Before went north he had heard a good deal of criticism regarding me, but he was glad to say the had since turned round and rer gards the selling of the coal, there was at first a good deal of trouble, but they had to remember that were' coming was more oF less a close preserve and consequently they had a. good deal of competition to face. He was, glad to say, however, that not only," was the 500°tons they were produeing each day going regularly into consumption, but they were asked for more and more if they could posly produce it, Unfortunately they could not owing to difficulties in organization and labour. As regards the. W. Concession he be+- Vieved they had a valuable mine with 1 good future before it. If they expected wonderful things right away. then they would be disappointed, but the progress could be relied upon be slow but ssu Mr. Robertson said they did not look for everything in five minutes but he had asked them whether could sell the 500 for daily. Could they ing that they could get.a firm or a man to contract with them for 10,000 tons of their coal if they. could produce it.
The Chairman said there was doubt in his mind that they could produce. market the full amount they could,
Mr. Robertson then wished to know what were the calls on their stock. Was it consumed industrial Jy, domestically, by the railways of what?
The Chairman said it did not seem to matter a great deal what it was" used it for once they had sold it.
Mr. Robertson begged to differ, He pointed out that if it was only. used for domestic purposes they were up against every little Chinese pitman who liked to serape for coals in that aren. He had every right t6 do #0 and no All he id was to scrape it together and ship it away on camels, The Chairman—I donot think it in entirely consumed by domestic Industrial Demands, Mr. Burkill replying to a further question from Mfr. Robertson, said might be of interest to them ing' to learn that the native coal miner was not a very serious -obstade, "Tt cost them—the native miners—$2 per ton to get their coal to Peking by camel, Industrial concerns Wwould take all the coal th could get at Peking, but it was vee their attempting to go in a get this demand from industry sources, as they easily could, because they would not be able t6 cope with the orders.
To Mr. Robertson's question as to whether they had now the rights over the 'T. W. Concession, the Chairman replied in the affirmative.
Mr. Robertson said if the pro= perty was their's why not get with the work?
The Chairman—That ig what we want some of the money for. 4
Mr. Robertson—Then Jet us bat programme as to What. you are foing to do. We cannot goon from Year to year, thave is a limit everything. Let un know what you fare going to-do. I want a more Mefinive programme as regards T.
'The Chairman replied that it had taken them' some" time. to', work Menkoukou, and that was. much earer and' easier to work than W. They could not do very much more with that latter" concession than they had done already.
After further questions on the sume\lines, Mr. "Robertson again pleaded for a policy. "Let us know, you are going to do," he said, instead of making these spasmodic calls for more money, more money."
The Chairman—I said in, my, speech, Mr. Robertson, that we pro-Bably should not-want all the money, we are calling for.
Mr. Robertion—Thon don't call for it with the state business is in Shanghai. There is too much of this sort of thing altogether Shanghai. Let us have a policy regard to T. W. We are entitled {0 information, we have waited long enough, five years...
The Chairman—There is rio doubt we shall do something with it, Mr.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.