COMMERCIAL MORALITY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 936, 1 October 1910, Page 5

COMMERCIAL MORALITY.

> REMARKS BY CHIEF JUSTICECommercial morality in Now,. Zealand,' »s compared with some other'parjis of -.- the world, was the subject or some pointed remarks by the Chief-, Justice s-J (Sir Robert Stout) _ yesterday. A i Sydney merchant, who : has business : '•"> ;.. relations 'with■ this* oountry,. stated in ;•••■ the witness.bos that.he often forebore i to take action against New ; ' firms,: even.when lie had a'goo'd . case, i I He mentioned 1 that the distance'placed : 1 him at a disadvantage. •■-'<.■ - ; ' • ( . His Honour: But:if things - are -as ,i :■ bad as. you" say, N you should , m ake" an example of one'or two. They ought to be shown up, and you -would have less ' •- to complain of afterwards., - In London, : . ;/the .merchants put through; business - -worth - ■ millions a; day without a word i:- ;,:>:of -.writing; They don't -- expect- it.' • They -will, make a bargain- in .con Versa: -\tion, !and afterwards a man will ; sit .... .ydown' and' write, "We have sold you, -* this day, so-and-so." A London ■ ' / merchant who broke his word would not v ■ -. have much more trade in London. - / Witness: It is not so here. His Honour: Then: that is a gTeat pity. • - Mr. : \W; H. D. -801 l .(fpr - the 1 ' defendant): But the commercial Courts in;London;are almost;always occupied. v -His Honour:, That may be' so, but the s.-number:of:• contracts in which they, rely . •-on i the honour of the men is very much greater^than the number where they; written-agreement.• >.-fv!Witness: I .know -it is. l I have - had some experience; of London business. •:.-..fjlr.iA;-'Bla-ir"(for the plaintiff):' Is .not commercial morality. in New Zea- ; • -Jand.as. high as anywhere in the.world?. . -Witness:. Your client says it is not; "Another i • aspect of ; commercial' \ ; morality was' afterwards mentioned by. U Mr. . Blair; There had been a suggestion !!j - '.;! by .the New Zealand, agent for a 1 Sydiioy [ . ... firm!that his principals had endeavoured ;- income - tax to tho .''. Doiriinion -Government. The firm,-; on . • the other hand, had suggested that the • '. , agent/ had . attempted; to blackmail .them. Mr., Blair said people usually ; : . / thought lightly of incbrrect dc-clarations ; :... regarding Customs and -income ■ tas. ' ' ! ! His . Honour :;I!don't ; know that that ! ; ' ' particular,-, kind of dishonesty should. be looked upon, differently, from any other. -Mr. Blair:'There is not really any difference. . Hi s Honour observed that there was a wide divergence between present-day practice;and,Herbert Spencer's ideal of . . a. State, in. which. the -people, if they - knew, the'-Government; to be in -want of funds; -would ; voluntarily . offer their ..contributions. .- (Laughter.) v : Mr. Blair: ,Ours is a different code. Mr.. Bell .suggested that his Honour should not take judicial notice of Mr.Blair's new . of the present state of affairs. ... ... • i ;.-; r Mr. Blair remarked that people, who , did not- scruple to.boast of, having paid too little income tax, would keep very quiet about many other offences. . ■ ..His Honour:. Our system is not like that proposed, in America, where a man ... would say, . f You.,go ahead, and value ; . , my' property. If you put it too high I will complain, and if you don't I ; ! won't say . anything.";;;( Laughter.) . . .- Here, you have to mako. a return, no ; matter how hard it' hits you. . !'