MONOPOLIES IN BUSINESS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 146, 2 April 1948, Page 3

MONOPOLIES IN BUSINESS

PROBE )JN BRITAIN (Rec. 9.30 a.m./ LONDON, April 1. The Government intends to set up an independent body to be known as the monopoly commission to find out whether monopolies exist and to make recommendations for dealing with ‘‘mischiefs” arising from artificial arrangements to limit competition in industry. ' The commission will be established under the provisions of the Monopoly Inquiry and Control Bill, the text of which 'was published to-day^ The commission will consist of three to eight members whom, the Board of Trade will appoint. Matters will ha referred to it if a third or more goods in a particular trade are supplied, bought or possessed either by one person or two or more persons who have a, tacit or expressed arrangement to limit competition. The Minister may prohibit agreements, boycotts, conditional sales and preferential terms by anyone carrying on business m Britain, either locally or outside the country. Civil but not -criminal proceedings can he brought for a breach of an order under the Act.