Monopoly.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 44, 12 January 1912, Page 13

Monopoly.

COAL VEND CASE.

In his monumental judgment in the above case, the delivery of which took 10.J- hours, Mr. Justice lliggins, of the Australian High Court, gave the following definition of monopoly: "If by superiority of service or commodity, by loivor prices, more desirable terms or any of the arts or inducements known to active rivalry; if consistent with healthy competition and free from force or fraud, a trader attracts to himself the whole of the trade in- any particular direction, be does not offend against the law of monopoly. The field of opportunity is open to all, ho has fairly used it, and iias succeeded. Ho has succeeded not becan.se he has silenced, hut because he has outstripped his competitors, and because the public find it to their advantage to voluntarily accept his services in preference to that of others they might have, and should he abuse his opportunities by asking unduly high prices or restricting facilities or otherwise, the field is as open as ever lor competitors to offer and for the public to accept. At all events, up to that point he has neither done nor intended any harm to the community. But if not contented with serving the public to the best of his abilities and letting the consequences take care of themselves, he so acts as to concentrate in himself .'the existing means of public satisfaction in such a way and.-to such an extent as in the circumstances to prevent or destroy all reasonably effective competition, he does within the meaning of the statute, monopolise or attempt to nionoiwli.se. Competition itself connotes attraction of trade, and so long as it remains legitimate, the law, as I read it, does not reprove it simply because it attains its necessary object.

The wonderful character of the late .Mrs. Ramsay Macdoneld's life-work is to be recognised in various ways. Mr. Macdonald's parliamentary constituents in Leicester are starting a baby clinic which will require a foundation of about £300 a year there, in gratitude for Mrs. Macdonald's influence. And it is proposed that a permanent endowment fund for the Women's Labor League, the society founded by the deceased lady, shall be opened. This aims at au annual endowment of £500.