MUNICIPAL COAL TRADING [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sur, - Although
Nationalization has been strongly condemned by the Coal Commissioners in their Report, yet they have recommended that legislation should be passed to give effect to municipal trading in coal. The Commission add that they cannot feel certain that it will by itself effect all the objects in view, and that it will not be practicable to apply a definite prohibition of recourse to the rates ; for if a local authority did in fact incur losses in any particular year, it would be obliged to pay its debts, and as a rule it would have no means of doing so except from the rate fund. The Socialists are being given a loophole in this proposal to municipalize the distribution of coal. Mr. Rose, chairman of the National Council of Coal Traders, stated in his evidence before the Royal Com- • mission that the more buyers the collieries had to deal with- the better bargain the collieries made, and the more sellers the consumer had to deal with the greater the consumers' opportunity to obtain closely competitive prices. It was claimed that their method of distribution was the most efficient and economical in the country. No other trade was content with such a small profit in proportion to the outlay and risk. These statements emanate from one well qualified to speak on the subject.-I am, Sir, &c., TAXPAYER.
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