COAL: 100LB. FOR 1 CWT.

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 49, 21 November 1919, Page 8

COAL: 100LB. FOR 1 CWT.

Sir-Two of the greatest essentials for life ano! comfort are milk and coal, -the frequent prosecutions'of vendors of the former (wlia are under the control or inspection} aro ample evidence of tne frailty and inability of human nature to resist tho temptation of making money regardless of all risks. The vendore of coal, however, presumably are considered to be more honest than their milfcsupplying brothers,' judging from tho fact 'that they are subject to no inspec. , tion 'whatever. Hence, as will be shown, the public are unprotected game to any unscrupulous wood and coal profiteer. - Quite recently live.sacks (or as ordered. one-quarter-ton). of coal was delivered ' at mv house; but as my coal-bin (wl'icn is understood "to hold exactly that amount) Contained a considerable amount of collected slack, two full bags had to be left in mv yard, I giving the carter two empty sa?ks instead. Speaking to a friend a few minute; aftenwk. he astonished me by asking whether merchant I dealt with solo! by tho 1001b. or by the cwt„ adding that he was thankful to receive anything over 901b. .tor the cwt. Being curious on the point, wo borrowed a pair of. steelyards, and discovered that the two sacks (weighit or bags included) weighed respectively 1031b. and lOfilb. each. • to ado, knowinK what tho result would be, I never complained. < , v Surely, at the rate of 10s. per ton fnnd half of that slack), together withcash on delivery, one might have exnected something approaching honesty. If 'with every cart the vendor of coal had to carry a trident and a pair of test-, ed steelyards, ana' it was made compulsory that he should offer to weigh in the presence of tho receiver of said coal everv bag if it we.ro so desired, it would greatly assist to reduce these peccadilloes, especially if .this were backed up with a minimum . fine of £5 if the together with the coal, did not turn the