AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Mataura Ensign, 28 December 1911, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

SYDNEY'S GOVERNMENT HOUSE. Received December 28, 9.10 a.m. OK ELEUTKIC lELKGIIAP.iI.—COPYRIGHT. i'KL ,'NIIEI) PRESS ASSOCIATION. SYDNEY, Dec. 28. Mr McGowen (Premier) proposes to leave the Governor-General possession of Government House at Sydney and to throw the grounds open to the public when his Excellency is not in residence. THROWN INTO A RIVER. SYDNEY, Dec. 28. A pontoon supporting a landing platform capsized at Moruya. Thirty people were thrown into the river and were rescued with difficulty. COAL VEND APPEAL. Received December 28, 10.40 a.m. SYDNEY, Dec. 28. An appeal has been lodged against the Coal Vend judgment) on behalf of W. T. Appleton on the grounds that the judgment is erroneous, that evidence was wrongly admitted, that thero was no evidence of any joint intent of this defendant to do any of the alleged acts to the detriment of the public, that the evidence fails to establish intent to restrain or control trade to the detriment of the public, and that certain sections of the Act have been impliedly repealed by the provisions of certain amending Acts. In the High Court Mr Justice Isaacs last week concluded delivery of his judgment in the Coal Vend case, in which it was alleged against the Associated Northern Colliery proprietors and certain steamship owners that they had entered into a contract' to restrain the inter-State trade in Maitland and Newcastle coal in contravention of the Industries Preservation Act to the detriment of the public interest. The .court convicted all of the 39 defendants of the several offences charged against vthem, and ordered each to pay a fine of £SOO, with the exception of the Associated Northern Colliery, because its individual members were amongst those fined. The fines imposed, were the maximum allowed by law. They total £19,500.