HARVESTER TEUST. COMPLAINTS OF ITS METHODS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 28, 1 August 1907, Page 7

HARVESTER TEUST. COMPLAINTS OF ITS METHODS.

ENQUIRY TO BE MADE. Ihe Agricultural Implement Manufacture, Importation and Sale Act, 1905, is to be brought into operation. The Act was designed to prevent tha Harvester Trust unfairly competing against New Zealand manufacturers, and provided that on complaint being mado by two or more of such manufacturers tho Commissioner of Trade and Customs shall summon a board to enquire into the matterIf it recommends that relief be granted the commissioner may grant to the manufacturers * bonus not exceeding thirtythTce per cent. A few days ago representations in the piopar form were made by a number of agricultural implement makers at Christchurch to the commissioner that the Harvester Trust had been "cutting" prices to an extent which they coDGidered to bo injurious to their business, and. the- commissioner at once took step 3to summon tho board, which, under the Act, bus to consist of tho president of tlio Arbitration Court, the president of the Fanners' Union, the president of the Industrial Association of Canterbury, a person appointed by the Governor on the Tscommesdation of the Trades and Labour Councils, and a parson appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of tho Agricultural and Pastoral Associations. Ths mombers of the board 6O far aTe^ — President of the Arbitration Court, Judg-3 Sim ; president of the Farmers' Union, Mr. J. G. Wibon ; representative of the Agricultural and Pastoral Associations, Mt. J. Barugh.'of Hamilton; representative of the Trades and Labour Councils, Mr. A. H. Cooper, Wellington. The president of the Industrial Association of Canterbury is Mr.' A. W. Bevan, but as h© is one of the petitioners for an enquiry lie will resign, and whoever is appointed in his place- will sit on tho board, which will meet at Christchurch on 25th August.