THE COAL VEND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXII, Issue 8257, 23 December 1911, Page 5

THE COAL VEND.

DELIVERY OF JUDGMENT.

HEAVY FINES IMPOSED,

Per Press Association—Copyright.' . SYDNEY, December 22, Chief Justice Isaacs lias concluded delivery of the Coal Vend judgment. He convicted all thirty-nine defendants for the several oifences charged against them and ordered each to pay a fine of £500, with the exception of the Associated Northern Colliery, because its individual members were amongst those fined. He also granted an injunction restraining defendants from a repetition or continuance of the several offences whereof they were convicted, and ordered defendants to pay plaintiff's costs.- On application of the colliery proprietors he granted a stay of proceedings m connection with the penalties, pending an appeal. In the course of his summing up Mr Isaacs referred to the combination as a gigantic conspiracy; it was difficult to s^ay how much the public were being overcharged for coal, but the figures indicated that the total was improperly gathered. By the united efforts of the colliery and shipping companies coal reached" a very high ! figure. Besides the detriment to the public as regards the price, there was restriction, m choice. The Coal Vend and the shipping; companies looked to no one's advantage but their own; this they followed up wherever they could and' to the : greatest possible distance. Defendants used their strength, not only against the public, but on all who stood, or endeavoured to stand, between them and the public. The fine imposed is the statutory .limit, and the total fines will amount to £19,500.