IN RESTRAINT OF TRADE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13939, 26 June 1909, Page 5

IN RESTRAINT OF TRADE.

'A telegram from Dunedin in yesterday's issue stated that the City Coal Merchants' Association had informed one of its memliers that he must retire from the Association if he took up a contract for the delivery of State coal; that this demand was due to a notice from the Coal Mine Owners' Association, that they would not supply anyone who deals in State coal; and that Mr Purdie, the member referred to, stated that he intended to accept the contract. Taking the telegram as it 'stands, it suggests a degree of highhanded dustiness that calls for some sort of click. The incident appears to H? related to the complaint by the Kichtfaps Coal Company a few days ago. tliat the Dunedin dealers refused to handle, their coal, because the Company did T*it belong to the Coal Mine Owners' Association. The "Otago Dailv Times"- gives some further information regarding Mr Purdies ca*\ from which it appears that Mr Purdie is a carrier as well as a coal dealer, and he savs he keeps the two business distinct, and that it was as a earner only that he tendered for the contract for carting out State eoal. , On be other hand, "the position taken "P *->' the Coal Merchants' Association is that it is one of its regulations that none of its members shall handle State coal. This decision wriginated with tta Coal Mine Owners' Association, which .some time ago intimated to the Coal Merchants' Association that it objected to the members of that body handling State coal, because the State Coal Department' refused to sell eoal to the trade" The Merchants' Association had agreed to this, and Mr Purdie knew that it was a recognised thing that the coal merchants should have nothing to do with the sale of State coal Mr Purdie says he has nothing to do with the sale of State coal docs not take orders for it, does not keep anv of it in his yard, but simply aj ; carrier undertakes to cart it out as lie is told. The fact that two complaints have been made against the Dunedin Coal Merchants' Association almost at the same time suggests that there, is something in their constitution, at all events in their action, which operates ••in restraint of trade," and that, we believe, is a thing that is frowned upon hv the common law. It would not be amiss, and probably not a waste ot time, if the Minister of Trade and Commerce paid some attention to this sort of thing, made souk* inquiry whether or not there are unjust and illegal trade combinations existing in the country, and if he found any, to set the law in motion to put an end to them. He might even find something of the kind in the trading departments of the State. Failing such interference tho public is ant to submit to injustices, instead of trying to end them, as what is everybody's business is nobody's, until someone is, like Mr Purdie, driven into a corner and shows fight. *