RETAIL SALE OF COAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19474, 2 November 1926, Page 10

RETAIL SALE OF COAL.

GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS. HINT Of INCREASED PRICE. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] DUNEDIN, Monday. Comment was made to-day by Mr. A. S. Cookson on the new regulations relating to the retail sale of coal, proposed to be brought into operation by the Government from January 1 next. He said the adoption of the new regulations would involve a readjustment of bagging stands, which at present were made to carry full-sissed sacks. The merchants would not only have to lower the stands, but would also have to reduce the circumference of them to make them fit smaller bags. If full-sized sacks were used they would be only partly filled and customers would naturally think they were getting short weight. The adoption of the smaller bags required under the regualtions would iii-, volve greater , cost of filling and it would also probably take more time to deliver coal than in the bags now in use. . It seemed certain that there would be an increase in price. The present bag in use held 1871b. It was difficult to say what was the object of the Government in arbitrarily firing the quantity a bag should contain, because it would not simplify the testing of weights and the checking of inspectors. The merchants could not see where the advantage 'ay. The bags in use now would have either to be discarded or partly filled. Twelve bags to a ton was the generally recognised wa,y of delivering coal throughout the Dominion. Most people ordered their coal by a quarter, a half or a whole ton and it was very convenient to send it out in three, six or twelve bags, as the case might be. Local merchants, he said, could not see that the new fixing of quantities was going to protect the public to a greater extent as far as accurate weight went. It would be a serious matter M the price was increased. The general opinion was that matters should be left as they were, as the public now had adequate protecttion.