THE COAL VEND.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10957, 23 December 1911, Page 5

THE COAL VEND.

[Br Electric Tr.i.v.r.]: \rn —Copyright. J (Per Piu.as Association.) Received I),-r-.'ii:l). r 22. at !'.:io ]>.ni. Sv.bi.-v. December 22. Judge omlllded tILS delivery in the i-mil vend case. In his judgment he < ■■on', ieted nil thirty-nine defendants of tlse_ several offences whicn were charged against them, and ordered each t<> pay :i tine of £-500, with the i-xceptinii nt tiie .Yssociatcd Northern Colliery. hecau.se the individual members were amongst those fined. He granted an injunction restraining _th« defendants from a repetition or continuance of the several offences whereof they were convicted, _and ordered the defendants to pay plaintiffs' costs. On the* application of the colliery proprietors he granted a stay of proceedings in connection with the penalties pending an appeal. In the course of his summing up Judge Isaacs. referred- to the combination as a gigantic conspiracy. It was difficult to say how much the public were being * overcharged for coal, but the figures indicated the total was" improperly gathered; liLtheir united efforts the colliery and snipping companies reached a very high figure. Besides the detriment to the public ia._ regard to the price, there was the restriction in the choice_ of coal. The vend and shipping companies looked to jio one's advantage but,their own. This they followed up wherever they could, and to. the greatest possible distances. The defendants gathered themselves together as giants of strength, and used it not only against the public, but on all who stood or endeavored to stand between them and the public. The fines imposed 'as a statutorv limit total £19,500.