Bill Upsets Fruiterers

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30879, 12 October 1965, Page 3

Bill Upsets Fruiterers

1 f.V.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND. Oct. 11. A clause in the Government’s Trade Practices Amendment Bill now before Parliament could completely upset the fruit and vegetable trade, the vice-pres-ident of the Fruit and Vegetable Retailers’ Federation (Mr H. L. Clark) said today. Under the bill collective tendering and collective bidding at auction by wholesalers. retailers or contractors would be an offence. He said he accepted practice in the Auckland vegetable and fruit markets was for agents to buy produce on behalf of a number of shopowners, particularly smaller retailers. The federation would seek Immediately clarification of the bill from the Government

“On the basis of press reports the bill will have a revolutionary effect on the fruit and vegetable trade,” said Mr Clark. “This looks like a rush job of legislation, without looking at the effects it would have,” he said. “What the reason is for this clause, goodness only knows.” Asked to comment on the

clause, the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Marshall) said in Auckland today that the legislation was to prevent ring tendering. He said it would make the practice of parties who put in tenders and met beforehand to agree to ? price illegal. He said the application of this legislation to individual types of business was a matter for legal opinion,

The Fruit and Produce Merchants and Auctioneers’ Federation has sent a telegram to the Government requesting a hearing on the proposed bill before it progresses.