SEWING COTTON.

Colonist, Volume LXII, Issue 15307, 21 February 1920, Page 5

SEWING COTTON.

THE COATS MONOPOLY

UNJUSTIFIABLE RETAIL PRICE.

(Router's Telegrams).

i London, Feb. 18 I The Profiteering Act Sub-Committee which is inquiring into the alleged sewing cotton combine report' that after exhaustive inquiries, they find that the manufacture of sewing cotiton is a virtual monopoly of the Coats Company, who have taken advantage of their monopoly to restrict trade, making it extremely difficult ~for competine firms to obtain a footing. ft In view of the fact that the Coats Company in September last estimated that the total manufacturing and selling costs amounted to 3.83 d per reel the advancement of me retail selling price to 7%d was hardly justifiable. The retail price should not exceed 6d a reel. The Coats Company increased their net profit per reel by 168 per cent between .1914 and 1910. .

The sub-committee, however, express the opinion that when the Coats V present supplies of raw and manufactured cotton are exhausted, the price of sewing cotton must rise unless* the -price of cotton falls.