AUSTRALIAN

Grey River Argus, 15 April 1911, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN

THE AUSTRALIAN COAL VEND

— •—. *», THE COMBINATION PROSECUTED,; FOR FLEECING' THE PUBLIC. (By Electric Telegraph — Copyright.) (Reed. S;5 p.m-7 SYDNEY, April 13. The High Court commenced hearing the Coal Vend cases wherein the vend is charged with 1 offences againsf the Industries Preservation Act. ' ' ' There is a ' great • array of legal talent on both sides. The charges are that since September 1906 there has been, and still is,' a combination between the Collieries Association and the Associated Steamship companies in respect to trade of Newcastle coal oet'veen New South Wales and other Australian States; that this comDinaTion restrained trade and was intended so to do to the detriment of the public. The counsel, in opening for the Commonwealth Government undertook to show that the. combine set out to make in four years the following formation :. vend profit, two million, sterling . over above the profit made in 1906. The method was to estimate the probable requirements of the trade for the ensuing year, and apportion . it , among _ the mines according- to their potential output. If the mine put out more. than its allottment .it was. compelled to pay iour .shillings'- a. ton for each- ton. in excess into the vend fund to compensate . the mines which , put . out less tnan their aDottment. .No quotations., to be allowed .to be made or contracts entered into until referred to tne vend. . The . committee urged that the vena, by using, its control . over, competition, had engaged in a great con spiracy with ship owners to establish a mpnopoly in Newcastle coal, it had gone far beyond its proper objects, and under pretence of protecting .the. interests of the -.coal trade had oppressed the public.