Control of prices of daily necessity goods, held a third plenary session in the Council Hall on Thursday. Reports were submitted by the Rice, Retail trade and Coal Sub-committees.
After careful deliberation, resolu tions concerning: l—The proposals for necessary measures to be taken so as to improve the rice and coal market situation, 2:—The weekly publication of a bulletin containing a price list of goods of daily necessity, 3:—The: compulsóry display in retail establishments of prices of basic commodities, were adopted and will be submitted to the Consul-General for France for approval. throughout, this being especially marked in response to the Loyal Toast, which was proposed by the Chairman.
The Chairman also proposed the toast to the Parent Institutions, and was followed by Mr. J. Haynes Wilson, Chairman of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, China Centre, who proposed the toast to The Guests. In welcoming Mr. A. H. George, Mr. Wilson congratulated him upon his recent appointment to the cooking and water heating.
In supporting its application, the compelled, in view of the steady and Wwoogn, post of Consul-General and assured lead, him of the loyalty and ce-operation Company pointed out that the average cost coal consumed during the period 1 to 1936, inclusive, was $1104 a ton, while the average cost per ton increased from $4130 in November 1939, to $87.62 in February 1940. The estimated average cost for March is $110 a ton, with estimated steady and almost continuous increases in average cost each month, Telang to $133. a ton for December 1940.
The company has been most fortunate in obtaining the continued supply. of 150,000 tons per half-year y from the Kailan Mining Administration and while the coal is paid for in pounds Sterling, it is landed in Shanghai at a net Chinese dollar cost to the Company far below the landed cost of coal from Indis.
The load upon the Company's system is, how-(C, ever, now such that more than half of its.coal requirements must be purchased from abroad and imported at freight costs which reflect, and are likely to continue to reflect, the usual effects of war conditions upon tonnage.
Cost of Coal The cost per ton of Indian coal has fok increased from i Rs. 133 (F.OBB. Cal-Short, cutty) in July 1939, to Rs.
816 in January 1940, and the ited costs estimat!
are Rs. 8.72 for April 1940 and Rs.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.