DIFFERENT PRICES

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 87, 9 October 1935, Page 12

DIFFERENT PRICES

SUPERPHOSPHATE SALES

COMMERCIAL TRUSTS BILL

The differentiation of superphosphate prices ruling in the Waikato and Taranaki was brought under the notice of the Dominion executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union today by the North Taranaki branch with a view to support being given to a deputation to the Minister of Agriculture. Messrs. J. H. Furniss and W. W. Mulholland said they did not think much would be achieved by approaching the Minister. They expressed the opinion that it was a case for direct action.

Mr. H. E. Blyde contended that as the. Government was paying a subsidy the Government had ,the right to a direct say in the price to.be charged.'

Captain H. M. Rushworth, M.P., said i that the manufacturers would be quite prepared to sell at a uniform price, but the difficulty was that, if a manufacturer sold direct to a dairy comjpany or farmers' union, the merchants' ring refused to handle the remainder of the manufacturer's output. Mr, Blyde said that the explanation that had been- given was that the local costs were higher. It was decided to send a deputation to the Minister of Agriculture. AN IMPORTA-NT PRINCIPLE. Mr. Blyde mentioned, as arising out |of the discussion, the proposed legis- | lation to amend the Commercial Trusts Act. He expressed the view that the Government should be asked to delay the bringing forward of the amending Bill. Mr. W. J. Poison, M.P.. the president, said that the Farmers' Union had been invited to give evidence on the subject matter of the Bill before a Committee of the House of Representatives. It "was impossible, however, to prepare a case until the matter had been gone into carefully and full information was obtained. There was a very important principle at stake.. Mr. Mulholland said that it was impossible, he thought, for any real consideration to be given to the Bill this, session. He suggested that copies of the Bill, with perhaps some explanatory notes, should be sent out to the provincial unions. One of the things to be watched in such Bills was the unrevealed powers latent in them. It was necessary not only to consider what the Bill expressly said but also what it implied. There was a great deal to be said in favour of the principle of putting some limit upon the cutting practices which had been very rife in certain lines. The difficulty, however, was to be able to rectify 'a position of that kind' without placing in the hands of the large organisations powers which they would use to raise prices unduly.

A resolution was passed strongly protesting against the passing of any legislation on the lines of the Commercial Trusts Act Amendment this session and/or until the community has had time to appreciate the powers to be given under the amendment and the effect upon them. It was decided also to send copies of the Bill to the provincial unions, together with reports from the Dominion executive upon the Bill.