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Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8543, 25 September 1907, Page 5

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THE COAL "VEND." A GENERAL PROTEST. Received September 24, 10.10 a.m. SYDNEY, September 24. The Herald's Newcastle correspondent is investigating coal matters. He says that on the surface of things it would appear that the principal complaint against the "vend" is merely a general protest against the scarcity of coal supplies and the difficulty in securing cargoes. The ramifications of the "vend" are farreaching. The inter-State coal trade is virtually in the hands of the "vend"'and shipping combine, and before coal is sold for shipment to foreign ports the buyer has to disclose its destination. It has yet to be proved that there is any restriction of trade, although it has been established that trade must pass through the channels of the "vend." It cannot be said that the "vend" has misused its power in the direction of putting up the price of coal. The Miners' Federation favours the "vend," as in it lies their hope for higher wages. Received September 24, 10.22 a.m. SYDNEY, September 24.

Gibson, Bolton and Company, a firm of coal merchants, state that they experienced .no interference or restriction on the part of the Union Company. It had not refused to carry their coal, although they were outside the "vend," nor had the company, so far as they knew, exercised a monopoly to , carry the "vend's" coal to New Zealand. They instanced the fact that the Norwegian vessel Solgran took five hundred tons of "vend" coal to Auckland in July last. Received September 25, 1.4 a.m. MELBOURNE, September 24. " In the House, Sir William Lyne, in reply to questions with regard to te coal "vend," said that the Government were making inquiries into the matter, and if it was (discovered that there was any weakness in the anti-trust law, a Bill would be introduced to deal with it.

SHORTAGE OF PASTURAGE. DISQUIETING REPORTS. Received September 24, 10.10 a.m. SYDNEY, September 24. There are disquieting reports from the Riverina about the shortage of pasturage. Unless rain falls within a fortnight the outlook will be gloomy. Stock-owners are already leasing thousands of acres of new pastures in the mountains and cooler districts, in anticipation of a drought.

THE WEATHER IN SYDNEY. GREAT HEAT. Received September 24, 11.1 p.m. SYDNEY, September 24. Under the influence of a westerly wind, Sydney to-day experienced the hottest "September day since 1859, the thermometer registering 91.1 degrees. The city was hidden in clouds of dust. A cool change, accompanied by rain, set in to-night. Rain is falling in the south-wes-tern districts and towards the South Australian border, where the prospects of relief from the great heat which has prevailed throughout the State lately are more hopeful. BUSH FIRES. CHECKED BY RAIN. Received September 25, 1.4 a.m. SYDNEY, September 24. Rain checked the bush fifes which have been raging for days in the Blue Mountains. For miles between Springwood and Linden, and from Katoomba ten miles towards Megalong, the country was swept. The fire presented a magnificent spectacle.