THE COAL VEND.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 92, 20 April 1911, Page 7

THE COAL VEND.

CASE BEFORE THE HIGH COURT. PROSECUTING COUNSEL'S OPENING ADDRESS. ALLEGED ILLEGITIMATE INCREASE OF PROFITS. By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright. SYDNEY, 19th April. The High Court is continuing the hearing of the Coal Vend case, wherein the Vend is charged with offences against the Industries Preservation Act. The charges are as follow: — j (1) That since September, 1906, there [ has been, and still is, a combination between the Northern Collieries' Association and the Associated Steam Ship Companies in respect to trade in Newcastle coal between New South Wales and the other Australian States. (2) That this combination restrained trade, and was intended so to do, to the detriment of the public. Mr. Wise, X.0., in concluding nis opening address, stated, as a specific instance, that when public bodies and other ; States were clamouring for coal the ' mines were not worked to their full i capacity. The lowest possible estimate ! of the increased profits of the Vend since 1905 was £600,000 upon inter-State trade only. The Crown submitted that the greater part of this increase was illegitimate and due to combination. Where there was no combination buyers were at the mercy of the Vend, and were charged extravagant prices. The Vena sold the same coal under the same conditions at different prices for different parts of Australia. • [The cable told us that there was a strong array of legal talent engaged in the case. By the Sydney papers we notice that Mr. Wise, K.C., Mr. Shand, K.C., Mr._ Stark, and Mr. Bavin are instructed by the Commonwealth Crown Solicitor for tho Commonwealth; Mr. Knox, K.C., Mr. Lamb, K.C., and Mr. H. M. Stephen, instructed by Minter, Simpson and Co., appear for the iftajority of the associated colliery proprietors: Mr. J. L : Campbell, K.C., and Mr. W. Blacket, instructed by Sparke and Millard, of Newcastle, for J. and A. Brown and John Brown; Mr. Mitchell, K.C. (of j Melbourne-), Mr. Broomfield, and Mr. Ham, instructed by Malleson, Stewart and Co. (through Macnamara and Smith), for the Adelaide S.S. Company, Ltd.,' the Huddart Parker Proprietary, Ltd., the Howard Smith Company, Ltd., the Melbourne S.S. Company, Ltd., and thS M'llwrath, M'Eacharn Proprietary, Ltd. No counsel appeared on behalf of the associated steamship owners, the South Greta, Central Greta, and Limington collieries.]