BOYCOTT ALLEGED

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 104, 27 January 1931, Page 11

BOYCOTT ALLEGED

Purchase of Petrol BANKRUPT’S STATEMENT Dominion Special Service. Invercargill, January 26. Attributing his bankruptcy to an alleged boycott on the part of the Invercargill branch of the Motor Traders’ Association in preventing him from obtaining supplies at the usual rates on account of a concession in petrol prices offered by him to Motor Association members, Robert Rose, a service station proprietor faced his creditors with a deficiency of £1578. The statement presented by the Official Assignee disclosed unsecured debts amounting to £lBB2, with assets valued at £304. Bankrupt said that he commenced business two years ago, arranging with a Christchurch firm for regular supplies of petrol at 1/7 J per gallon, on which he based his retail price at 1/11, but to members of the Southland Motor Association he gave a concession of one. penny a gallon for cash. During January of last year the company raised the price to 1/9 a gallon. Although other people were buying the. same goods at a finer price, he was not able to buy from local firms on account of pressure from the local Motor Traders’ Association, which objected to him giving a discount to members of the Motor Association.

Rose had not been able to become a member of the Motor Traders’ Association, nor would they allow him to obtain supplies at the same prices as themselvP.-. He had accordingly been compelled to buy his supplies at such a price that on resale the goods did not show a profit to him. During the examination, counsel - for one of the creditors questioned the bankrupt at great length as to the reason why., he had completely settled his debt with one firm, although unable to meet his accounts with other creditors. The bankrupt explained that although his other creditors had agreed to allow him. to carry on, this one firm had refused to allow their account to run on. and had threatened to sue him. He had accordingly paid over £lOO. The , creditors requested the Assignee to investigate the payment with a view to contesting its validitr.