ALLEGED COMBINE.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XL, Issue 5773, 23 February 1912, Page 3

ALLEGED COMBINE.

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) "'flu- tirsi fa.-." -.inu^r ;•)-. i u.nnu-r-! I rial Tni.sis Act, passrd l>\ Ut;i Uo-| | \rniiix--ni in )Ul<>, has (» iii coin- | ; «/J»■»«:•■;I '.^itj.N Ihv S<\\ ZVmUjit) ; | "IMuji'S). This Act makes illegal ccf- \ tain loiiiiiii'rcia I trusts, ctwi.-ist my <I i I fottit incs, li,t\in^ for Uieir olmri ilic! ! controiliiig' vi ihesuppk or doinan.l ! lor prkv. or cr^atintr a uu)tiopt)l> in ' Lh'i supply or flomund oi any Uddds. i Section 5 oi" the Act provi.les :— 'Any person who conspires uith any other person lo inonop«;iise wholly or partially the demand or s/.pph i in New Zealand or any part inrrr , of of any goods, or to control wholly or partially the drtnarut or | supply or price- in New 'Zealand or j any part thereof o f a n\ goods. is j guihy of an ofi'ence if such monopol\ ! or control is of such a nature as io\ be contrary to tin* public interest. Sed ion 0 provices : — l']\er_\ person; commits an off'.'ni'e who, either as j principal or agent, sells or supplies, j or olTers r'or sale or suppl\ , any i goods at a, price which is unreason-j ably high, if t.hut price has boon in I any manner directly or imlinrt ly ile-| terminciL controlled, or influenced Iy | any ct>niMi<i ri-ial trust of which thai j person or his principal (if any) is or ! has Lei n a member. ;■

There are Tiumerous other provisions in tli:.1 Act which in general dTect seek to make illegal tht* creating or raising of prices I>\ a combination of merchants or others. Kvery person who commits an offence against the Act is "liable to a penalty of £500.

I'roceeditigs, we learn, have ?wn taken by tin.- Government against the Colonial Sugar Company, for an alleged breach of ihe Aci. aivrl also against several <jf the leading merchants in "ttellmgion. These proceedings are based upon an alleged arrangement wherein- it. is slated that the price of sugar is Increased |>y methods which amount to v monopoly within the meaning of the Act.

Tlie case, which will no doubf be fully litigated, will afford a good illustration of the working of the trust legislation, and will he watched with the keenest pubHc interest, both on account of the novelty of such proceedings in New Zealand, and on account of the great importa-nce the price of sugar is to every person in this country.