COAL VEND.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 88, 15 April 1911, Page 5

COAL VEND.

HEARING OF CASE COMMENCED. THE CHARGES. By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copy rlg&» 4 SYDNEY, 13th April. The High Court has commenced the hearing of the Coal Vend case, wherein the vend is charged with offences against the Industries' Preservation Act. TneT© is a great array of legal talent on both sides. The charges are as follow: — (1) That since September, 1906, there has been and still is a combination be- ■ tween the Northern Collieries' Association and "the Associated Steamship Comi panics in respect to trade in Newcastle coal between New South Wales and the other Australian States. (2) That this combination restrained trade, and was intended so to do, to the detriment of the. public. Counsel, in opening for the Commonwealth Government, undertook to show that the combine set out to make in the four years following the formation of the vend a profit of £2,000,000 over and above the profit made in 1906. The method was to estimate the probable requirements of the trade for the ensuing year and to apportion it among the mines according to their potential output. If a mine put out more than its allotment it was compelled to pay 4s per ton for each ton in excess into the vend fund to compensate the mines whicli put out kss than their allotment. No quotations were allowed to be made or contracts entered into until they had been referred to the Vend Committee. Counsel urged that the vend, by abusing its control over competition, had engaged in a great conspiracy with the shipowners to establish a monopoly in Newcastle coal. It had gone far beyond its proper _ and under pretence of protecting the interests of fhe coal trade had oppressed the public.