A BOYCOTT IN COAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 11 August 1909, Page 17

A BOYCOTT IN COAL.

MR PURDIE ALLEGES VICTIMTSATION. Mr Purdie. whose name was brought into prominence, a few weeks ago through the action which the Otago Coal Merchants' Association 'took with regard to him' in connection with his having tendered for and obtained the contract for the cartage of State coal, represented to us the 2nd' that he had been made the victim in the morning, of, a direct boycott his capacity as -a coal dealer. He iaid that" lie had^gbt an inkling thai something was going to happen on* Saturday when* about 10 minutes to 1, he was informed by the New Zealand Coal and Oil Company, proprietors of the Kaitangata mine, that his account with it was to be closed, and that this was being done by the directors' instructions. On Monday morning* he went down to the coaJ siding to obtain a truck of Kaitangata coal which he had ordered, on Thursday last. The practice is that each of the Otago mines has its own yard foreman at the coal siding, and the yard foreman of the Kaitangata Proprietary informed Mr Purdie, when he applied for the coal, that he could not get it. Mr Purdie also made inquiries from the other Otago coal-minens — Freeman's, Jubilee, Christie's, Waronui, and Taratu, — and all of them informed him that he could get no more coal. He could only assume that this action had been taken by the <JLr«etope of the Coalminers' Association by reason of his having obtained the contract for the State coal. For the time being, Mr Purdie said, this action had ruined his business as a coal merchant, because the demand for Otago coal was such that no merchant could carry on a business without being able to supply these coals. It was specially unfortunate for him, inasmuch as quite recently he had expended a laige sum of money upon the acquisition and equipment of a new property at Kensington, which was rendered useless so' lone as the boycott was applied to him. He felt very much that" a gross injustice was being done to him. more especially as he had devoted his whole time and energy for the past few years to building up a business, into which he had gone as » younpr man with the determination of making a living out of it. Mr W. Scott, secretary of the Otago Coalminers' Association, when applied to by a Daily Times reporter for some information unon the subject, said he was not aware of any such action having taken place. If it had been done it had not been done by resolution of the body of which he was secretary. . One gentleman, thoroughly versed m tlie coal trade, gave the other side of the question. He said that he had heard of the boycott, and was not surprised at it. He regarded it as a natural and jusi retribution. The noeition was that Mr Purdie had taken up the cartage of State coal at a greatly cut price, which, he was almost sure, would involve him in a loss, and he (Mr Purdie) could only hope to maintain business by using the State coal as a bait to sell the other coals from which he made his profit. Naturally the mine-owners objected to their coal beine placed in this position, hence their combined move. Our informant continued, and went into detail, to show that the State coal was being sold below cost here, .as well as in other places, and this unfair competition was making the struggle for existence very keen. The profits obtained from the business were grossly exaggerated, and he knew for an absolute fact that one of the best (probably the best) coal business in Dunedin Had not paid 1 per cent, during the last three years, and he also knew of half a dozen merchants who would be glad to sell out for the actual capital cost of their businesses. "LINSEED COMPOUND" for Coughs and Colds. Of proven efficacy for chest complaint*. i'