AGAINST MONOPOLIES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 916, 8 September 1910, Page 10

AGAINST MONOPOLIES.

EXCLUSIVE SELLINC FORBIDDEN. COMMERCIAL TRUSTS BILL. 'Important proposals for curbing the powers of monopolies are contained in tho Commercial * Trusts Bill which was introduced .by Governor's Messago yesterday . '.. ... ■'~ . .:■' i "Commercial' trust" is , : defined to mean (a) any association: or, combination (whether incorporated or not) having as,one of-its objects'the-controlling)' determining, or influencing , .the supply,, or demand or price of any':goodsr.in New Zealand or any part thereof ' .or . clsowhere or of .'creating or maintaining, a monopoly, .whether';coriiplete'.or. partial in tlie - supply or demand of-any; goods;'. (l>) acting in Now Zealand- or elsewhere, with any such object-, as aforesaid, the association includes the, union of any number of persons by .pi under any agreement or trust whether' temporary or, permanent and whether ■including. any scheme 'of. organisation or common' management or control or riot. ■ :.. ■.'/..- ■ ;■:.■. - ; ' ■ ■-..' ; Tho Act. applies..to. agricultural implements,' coal,- meat, : flour, oatuieal, and tlie : other products or by-products of the milling of wheat or oats, petroleum, or ;othcr mineral oil,, ■including kerosene, naphtha,: and the other, pro- ■ ducts or by-products of < any suc.'i oil, sugar,,'; tobacco (including cigars . :and' cigarettes); Every • person, -counts an • offcnco.iyho ns principal orageht in re-; spect of dealing in any such ; goods gives, offers, .or agrees to giye;to : any other person', any! rebate,' rcfuudv. discount, :' concession,.' allowance, -.rewards;; or other valuable > consideration, for the reason or upon the ■ express or implied condition that-the latter : (a) , deals '.or., has.dealt or will deal ; or -intends or'.un-.: dertakes or has undertaken or will undertake, to deal exclusively or. principally, with.'.'any person -or class -of: per-' sons either in relation'to any 'particular goods;) .or generally, (b).doe's not .deal' or' will not. deal, witli. any person ..or; .class. :.of',i persons' either in relation Vto. cny .particularigoodsj.or;generally (cV '.restricts or will-restrictjhis/dealing;'^(d). is or becomes a member'of a cominercial trust.--or; (e) acts or. .will .act in obedience; to the' determinators of siuy." Loir.mercial- trust in;respect to -the sale,' imi'chase, or. stipply of any goods:.'■'■v'.|.' , '; ftyery :porsoii.commits an,olfeiico;wh(i refuses,:: either.;-absolutely- -pr-' )except :upon disadvantageous conditions,;.to sell or supply I ' to.:ahy" oth'er.'person;- or to 'purchase;, from-any. oilier person,., any goods ; ior ' : thp■",reason, that, 'tho latter, ipereon (μ^deals",'or willdeal,' with any person or .class , of ..persons; either) in relation to any. particular- goods or- generally; 'or. (b) is\not or ,, wijl nol . become, a member of a :trust; t v or ■(c) ■ does';npt act: of' will not v act;' in. obediencip,to the determinations of any commercial .crur.Uy iviUi rnspeCt Lo ;.the 'sale, purchase,; oi-supply ...of-any ; goods'. V ; Any. person',;wh ( o ; conspires; with ! 'any other^persbu,^to.monoiwlise .wholly" - 'o: - pa'r.tia'llj;'.the demand or. supply, .in- New Zealand;;pr any':part' thereof, ...of; any gotidkj .'or,■":to.'control. wholly■■'.;(*■-,:par-tiailyi.the doniand,-:or. supply,-.or.rprie'e of. any. 'goods, .'■ is ■ guilty '.of an- 'offeuccif such 'monopoly or.control :is •;<!(;.siicli a nature ; as.to' : bo cqhtrarjvto •; the public :interes"ti', 'commitis an.'ol,;f enco ■ who;-sells ; . any". goods . at. a 'prico which is liiiieasoiiably highji if. that pri<;o" has. beoiv.influenced;.by:any- commer,ch-.l trust ofi which that person- or hisjrinnipalis or has.been 'a. member.. Every.person commits ■ an. r , offence. . who,' ■v- in iobedienco .to any. determination;.of:.;-aiiy (iomniercial; trusty'-sells. : any.;'gop'ds.-at -a; prico : fwhich-.- 1 unreasonably high. ';;■ '■. ■■■;■■ If. '■■ any,'.commercial ; trust'. sells-': an>.. a ; pnce;;which isvunreasonahly: .liighj-every .person- .frho'is:.then a-;mt!in; .her.''. of ithat : ; trust; -shall: be deemed;.:ti>: liav6/:committed,-an,-off ence., :; '. If: anj ; 'sutih'.case • tho ■■. commercial; -.trust' is i. a dn ':': offence..- ,Xhe ; price,' Vof-Vany :;godds'shall be.ileemed'to-.beunrfiasoiiably, high if. it. :is J .calculated to .produce, ,nioro than a ; fair ; mercial^'jprofit. .Every^person ■' who isi■ in;.any : wayi knowingly,-concerned;in; thb commission'., of: an offence--against; .the Act, ;6i;,:the v /doing- of :any; act', oiitsidu. :New Zealan'd::which.:would, -if done;'iih; ; NewvZealand," be-' : .'ani..Vdffehce'.'.-'agaiua'V :the:Aet,:shall;be'deemed ; Ho/have com-: mitted'.that .offence. i,{Every : persoii'.who 'uqmm'its'. an .offence ! shj(ll ,be. liable; to": a.penalty;of ■£500.)i;y;:;C^;-;;x; ; :va ; ;:';s;;; ; ;'' , ': ■ ■:ln',any/such; ; actipn.for.:;the .recovery ■of this.penalty.tha'Snpreme C6utr:':may. ijrantvan 'injunction against , the.;'cgn.6inu-,' a nee or . repetition, iof -the offence; .but. no such.'injunction-shall be;;granted:by. Way." of ;proceedings ■before final; judgment;.; iii ...the Taction': .;ln v .any. action ho.person'shair.blu.excused-from ■answering anyVquostion.'put , to:him,:or : from" producing'. any documents: on •; the ground, that the .'-answer -to.the question 1 or .the- :: prodjictipn , ...of.,. -would- tend: to ; ; eliminate-:him.; & .■,'• \