SALES OF WHEAT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 220, 11 June 1920, Page 6

SALES OF WHEAT

ALLEGED BREACH OP REGULATIONS. By TeleurnDli—Press Association, Dunedin, June 10. In tho Supreme Court, 'before Mr. Justice Sim, to-<lay, A. Stevens and Co. were sued by the Crown for penalties for an alleged breach of regulations in ix-spect to sales of wheat. Mr. W. C. M'Gregor, K.C., appeared for the Crown, and Mr. C. P. Skerrett, IC.C., with Mr. A. S. Adams, for the defendants. A. Stevens and Co., and William Josiah Love. The statement of claim set forth that Love is a large shareholder and also managing director of the defendant company, personalty controlling the company's business, and personally responsible for the wholesale buying and selling of grain. The maximum price waa fixed on February i! 5, 191!), by an Order-in-Council, for all wheat grown in New Zealand, such Order remaining in force, the rato for free wheat inferior in cimlity and good milling wheat being 6a. Bd. per bushel. After last October tho defendants sold largo quantities of such wheat at prices' exceeding 6s. Bd., the excess prices ranging from 7s. 6d. to Bs. 6d. The alleged.offences were a sale of 339 bushels at Is. Gd. to Hutchinson, Auckland; 167' bushels to tho same firm at Bs.; 336 bushels to the samo firm at Bs. 3d.; 167 bushels at Bs. 6d. to Roach's, Hastings; 345 bushels at Ss. lid. to A. S. Paterson, Wellington; to tho same firm 33 bushcte at Bs. Gd.; to Birch and Co., Wellington, 333 bushels at Bs. 6d.; to Laerv arid Co., Wellington, 'lie <ftine quantity nt'the same price; to the Loan nnd 'Mercantile Company, Wellington, 481 'bushels at 7s. 3d., and 798 bushels at 7s. 6d. A penalty of ~500 was claimed in respect of each offence. Defendant's statement admitted the sales, but mentioned that tlie price included sacks. . Hearing of the caso is unfinished.