Interviewed by a representative of the "North-China Herald," a merchant who attended the conference. stated that in reply to enquiries by Mr. Wu Ting-chang, Minister of Industry, re~ garding the present condition of the industry, complaints against the burden of transportation charges. and taxation, te, were made by coal merchants, while big companies expressed apprehension over the increase of production by small companies.
In. order {0 solve these problems, the Minister convened the conference during which he emphasized that the alm Is for self-control and not for state-conference, In his opening speech, he sal "In the matter of con) deposits, China gccuples third place Ju. the world, In 1929, the total output amounted (0 18,000,000 tons," the excess Of coal exports over imports being 1,200,000 ons. After the Muke den Incident in 1981, the coal out:
south of the Great Wall became Insufficient to meet the national demand. The annual excess of import ed coal over exports amounted to 1,000,000 "tons. In 1934, the. output increased 10 20,900,000 ions and the excess of Imports over exports was reduced to 220,000 tons. Last year, the output was further ner eased (0 21,000,000 tons and exports exceeded imports by 102,000 tons."
Joint Marketing In conclusion Mr. Wu said it! was evident that "the nation could not only be self-sufficient in coal supply but might "enjoy a surplus, The dimculties that the coal companies were encountering, therefore, were ne not so much fo the burden of transportation charges and taxation but to foreign dumping and defects in_ marketing. methods.
'The conference adopted the proposal of the Ministry of Industry' for Joint marketing of coal, This pro-ides that Sales districts be demarcated for different coal companies on the basis fof the locality of production and transportation facilities; the sales quota for each coal company fixed on. the basis of scope lis present "market in' each aren; coat' to be classified into differ: ent grades, and uniform prives, to be fixed; the native coal companies to ce-operate closely with one an= other so as to prevent foreign dumping on the domestic market, and. the expenses caused by competition. among native coal mines to be saved, and employed for the development of foreign markets for Chinese coal.
The joint office is being organized conformity with the above proposal. At the conclusion of the conference, Mr, Wu emphasized the following points:
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.