AGENTS IN DISPUTE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 101, 29 April 1912, Page 8

AGENTS IN DISPUTE.

_ + ABOUT A DISINFECTANT. Two cases of some importance to the mercantile community were heard before Mr. Justice Chapman to-day. The parties were Geo. T. P. Williams, importer, v. Albert Edward Webb and 'Arthur Percival Masters, \ importers. Mr. P. l^evi appeared for plaintiff, Mr C. R. Dix for Masters, and Mr. A. Gray for We\»b. The two cases were taken together. Plaintiff carried on business as the New Zealand Distributing Company. He alleged that he purchased a certain business from an Australian company, under the n»me of the United Distributing Companies, Ltd., which conducted a specialty business. Defendants had been employed by the United, Ltd., and it was alleged that they • signed an agreement that they would not, after severing their connection with the firm, cany on any business which might b& in competition with that of the United, Ltd., tor v period of twelve months. | Williams purchased the New Zealand business of the company. Subsequently defendants carried on business in New Zealand, and sold a disinfectant instrument called pynol, which was alleged to be almost identical to that sold by United,' Ltd., and later by Williams. Plaintiff sought to have defendants restiained from selling the instrument in New Zealand. Defendants contended that they had been led to sign the agreement through misrepresentation. They had objected to the terms, and it was agreed, they said, "that the agreement would not be binding upon them. These points were denied by Williams. Further defences were that the agreement was in restraint of trade, unreasonable, too va^ue, and uncertain. Decision was reserved.