TRADE INQUIRY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 15, 12 October 1907, Page 5

TRADE INQUIRY.

Sale of Agricultural Implements. ; ALLEGED UNFAIR COMPETITION By Telegraph—Press Association, : Christchurch, October 11.' The Board constituted under., tka Agricultural Implement Manufacture Importation and Sale Act sat in the Provincial Counoil Chambers this morning to hear charges of alleged unfair competition by tho International.* Harvester Company ,of America, and • tho * Massoy-Harris Company . of-v Amerioa. All the members pi'Ch , sent, Mr. Justice Sim presiding.. " •. j ■ The • allegations against : tho companies cited were brought by' Messrs.:. Coopor and Duncan, Ltd., Booth, M'Donald and Co., Ltd., P. and D. \ Duncan, Andrews and Beaven, Ltd,' and Reid and Gray. The .charges briefly aSeged that tho prices of American-made implements imported into New Zealand have been J materially... reduced Mow tho prices gazetted under tho Act, and that coin-' petition oil Mifair* liner, is taking place,' ; resulting in tho undue oppression ofit tho local industry. Specific 'charges wero'mado that the International Harvester Company, .on May 24, 1907, sold, to H. M'lntosh, of Kaiapoi, a fifteen-, coulter American combined drill fotv £26 10s., tho gazetted price being £41, with £2 discount for cash; and]' that on.' June 21 the samo company; sold to 'H." Blacketfc, of Loburn, #l' thirtceu-coulterj American' drill fori £25 105.,. tho gazetted price being £331 with £2 discount for cash. It was al- j - legcd that othor cases of tutting of* prices woro 'in' the possession of the' complainahts. ' ; J The Massey-Harris pompany waa charged with having made oxtravagant/ credit allowances on second-hand ma-1 chines, or implements taken in part payment fQr riojir. machines ;, with haV-l; iiig pirated tlib J inodel .of; Booth, M'Donald and Company's disc harrows; .' with having sold in New Zealand liiir-i rows manufactured outside Now Zea-1 land on that model at prices lower than thoßß gazetted, and with having sold drills, disc harrows,' and Icultivitors since June 28 1906, sit prices lower, than- those specified in the Gazotfce,* . Tho Massey-Harris Company,wwars r required by tho complainants to produce 1 at. the inquiry all books and papers containing records of drills, diso haiv ■ rows, and cultivators sold by it in New. • Zealand since June 28,-1906, with . the names of tho purchasers, prices, allow- ! aneeS made on Second-hand machines, • and prices obtained oil tho rc-salo t of > ;Reoond-haud machines. ...,U V •j' *j A qua'ntity olS' evidence was hoard r ' and tho Board will'report direct to thl r Government.. ' The charges r gainst the Massoyi 'Harris Company Wero withdrawn a{ ! tho closo of tho case for tho complain ' ants.. ... .' ' v. pnV ; . v .*; ;