12 APRIL 1930, Page 3

The Coal Industry in 1929 According to the returns just

published for purposes of wage-assessment in the coal industry, all districts during the last quarter of 1929 showed a " credit " of between 2.4d. and Is. ed. per ton. The whole country can show 41d. per ton, on the same basis, over the year 1929. These are encouraging figure;, but it must not he forgotten that certain charges are omitted,•and these are estimated to amount, on an average, to about 8d. per ton. The margin of profit, therefore, is very small, and the figures must be taken as evidence of an upward tendency rather than of prosperity.