ANTI-TRUST LEGISLATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14898, 29 July 1910, Page 2

ANTI-TRUST LEGISLATION.

A DEPUTATION ANSWERED

(From Our Own Correspondent l .) WELLINGTON, July 27.

■ Speaking on fyehalf of the Trades Conference to-day the Horn. J. T. Paul, M.L.0., strongly urged upon the Prime Minister' (Sir Joseph Ward) the advisableness of 'nationalising monopolies as they arose. .He staled, inter,alia, that itj -had been found that, .the . increments, in wages which, the - workers had, secured had been absorbed as-the -result of the ; grov/ih of combines in this country. In the past the" State had entered into various businesses with the object of breaking down rates, and what was desired was that that , policy should bo extended.

In reply, the Prime Minister declared that- he regarded the matter .as of .'.the first importance in the interests of the whole community. The people required, to be protected against' the growth of undesirable monopolies brought about'by combinations which ..aised prices of commodities above their lair value. As he had previously indicated, it was intended to brjng down antitrust .legislation this session, which it was hoped would prove efiieative. The Government recognised' that where an effort was being m&de to get excessive-prices ou.t of consumers in New Zealand it ought to be stopped. There' were some things which'were undeniably growing into the conditions of an evil which required to be grappled with. It would not be possible to meet the position, in Iris opinion, in the way suggested, for many years a any rate— i.e., By the nationalisation of monopolies. It was beyond question that the Government could not nationalise all the coal mines, for that would mean borrowing a large sum of money. Nor could this country nationalise allMhe means of production, as,the same remark would apply. Nor could the Government nationalise all'the'means of distribution' without very'heavy borrowing. He did not wish to mislead anybody as .to their policy on the matter. In drafting anti-trust legislation there were two matters which they had to , keep before them. They required to make it impossible for the people to be imposed on by trusts, whilst allowing complete freedom to tradersbig and small—whp did not want to combine. Both of these principles were essential 'to anti-trust legislation, and that was what the Government would propose. The Government wanted to see trade increase, but it also wanted -to keep out that canker of monopolistic combines which in' other countries had worked. adversely and in an extraordinary degree to the detriment of the workers. " I think that we will succeed with our legislation on this point," Sir Joseph, addecl.