WOOLSTON TANNERIES

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 71, 24 March 1926, Page 10

WOOLSTON TANNERIES

ROYAL COMMISSION'S REPORT^

CLAIM FOR COMPENSATION TAILS.

His Honour Mr. Justice ' Hosking, who was appointed a Royal Commission j to inquire into a petition presented by the Woolston Tanneries, Ltd., asking for redress for severe losses said to have been sustainai as a result of .alleged harsh administration of the regulations dealing with the control of hides and skins during the war, has reported adversely on the company's claim. The Boyal Commissioner was directed (1) to inquire into matters alleged in the petition; (2) to report whether petitioner has suffered injury or damage in circumstances which, in fairness and good conscience, entitle it to compensation from the public funds; and, if bo, to (3) report what amount the petitioner should in fairness and good conscience be allowed as such, compensation. ' The first part of the petition allege that some years ago statements were circulated "concerning Messrs. Sims and Cooper, and a company they formed, called Sims, Cooper, and Co., Ltd., who, and whose families, owned about two-thirds of the capital of the petitioning company." These statements alleged control by. or interest in the American Meat Trust. At the conclusion of "Mr. Cooper's evidence, in the course of which he denied those statements, his denial was completely accepted by Sir John Findlay («n behalf of the Government) and by Or. Keakes, whereupon Mr. Myers, on behalf ,of the petitioning company, said that the monetary claim' based on this part of the petition would not lie pressed. The Boyal Commissioner reports that he thus became relieved of further inquiry under that head. With regard to the second part cf the petition, alleging that the petitioning compariy, working in conjunction' with the Board of Trade, suffered, through the price-control of hides, certain losses that should be compensated, Mr. Myers relied on: (1) A request made by the Board of Trade or by Mr. Macdouald, a member of the Board or' Trade, that the company should, notwithstanding the removal of the embargo, continue to carry on its tannery business in order to prevent a "famine" in leather; (2) the fact that, at the request of the Board >f Trade,, the company undertook to quote, and did quote, prices for leather, firstly, for a period of three months, and later on for a period to end on the last day of i August, 1920, and that this request •was made by tho board and acted on by the company for the purpose of stabilising the price of leather —that is, fixing for a period prices which should not be raised against the buyer during tbat period. The petitioner alleged various losseß which it stated it had sustained in consequence of the closing of the fellmongery, the losses claimed under this part of the , petition amounting to £6000 or thereabouts. The Eoyal Commissioner's findings are: On the question whether, apart from the matters objected to, the company has suffered injury or damage in respect of the matters alleged , in the petition under circumstances which in fairness and good conscience entitled it to compensation from the public funds, I have come to the conclusion and find that no such injury or damage has been suffered by the petitioning company. On the. matters objected to as not falling within the scope of the Commission, I have come to a similar conclusion, and I find that the company has not suffered injury or damage which in fairness and good conscience entitles it to compensation from the public