FRUIT AUCTIONS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 229, 22 June 1921, Page 2

FRUIT AUCTIONS

CONDITIONS OF SALE

VIEWS OF BOTH SIDES EXPRESSED At yesterday’s meeting of the Wellington Fruiterers’ Association, the chief subject of discussion was a new set of conditions of sale posted at the Blair and Allen Street markets. It. was urged by some speakers that the conditions that were being imposed ou purchasera at the markets were likely to press hardly upon the trade, as they had to take all the risk, and the vendors none in connection with any purchases made. One of the conditions was that the auctioneer could refuse the right of anyone to bid, or, rather, refuse to accept his bidding, which was alleged to be in direct contravention of the Auctioneers' Act, which stated without any reservation that the highest bidder should be the purchaser. Another matter of contention was the regulation that gave no warranty as to the condition of a line purchased. One case might be opened to show the fruit, or other goods therein, to be sopnd, and a proportion of the rest of the 'same line might be unfit for sale to the public, in which case the purchaser had no redress. So, as had occurred on some occasions, a man would find the next day that he had made “a bad buy,’’ and yet when he asked for a come-back on his purchase, he would be informed that the sale note had gone forward to the supplier, and there could bo no redress.

There was alee a. new condition respecting the return of sacks and cases, which gave the auctioneers an advantage. A man might be charged a shilling each for his sacks at the beginning of the month, but, if there was a drop In the price, he might only get 3d. or 6d. for them on returning them at the end of that month. /These and other of the new conditions were objected to. The Conditions. The following are the conditions, which have been posted in the markets this week: — "(1) The highest bidder shall Ire the purchaser; subject to tho auctioneer having a right to refuse the bidding of any person. Should a disptue arise between two or more bidders, the lot in dispute shall be jrut up again, or not, at the discretion .of the auctioneer. When a lot is re-offered the bidding shall commence nt tho last disputed offer. "(2) No person shall tender a less amount or bid than is approved by the auctioneer, nor retract a bidding. "(3) No warranty or guarantee whatsoever is given with any lot offered, all lots being sold on their respective merits. The auctioneer sells only as agent for the vendors, and does not hold hhnself responsible for any error or omission in description, nor does he guarantee to deliver more than is actually in the vendor’s possession. >"(4) Terms.—Net c,ash on the fall of the hammer. All lots with all faults, imperfections, and errors in description nre at the sole risk of the purchaser nt tho fall of the hammer, and must be removed nt the purchaser’s risk and expense bv 5 p.m. on the day of the sale, unless otherwise arranged with the auctionfer. “(>> To prevent inaccuracy in delivery and inconvenience in the settlement of purchases, no lot can on any account be removed during the time of the sale without the auctioneer's receipt covering the purchase, and no lots ehall be transferred from one buyer to another. "(6) The purchasers to he answerable for all damage they may do to any lots or to the premises in taking delivery of and removing their respective lots, and to properly repair the same before the lots are removed from the premises. *'(7) All or any lots not paid for before 9 a.m. of the day following the original sale may bo sold nt the risk and exnense of the original purchaser, and any loss or expense incurred from such re-sale shall be made good by the defaulting purchaser; but any .surplus that may arise shall belong to the vendor.

"(R) The auctioneer reserves the right to decline to redeem containing sticks, cases, and buckets sold upon terms of return and redemption, unless such lie returned in good order and redeemed by the last day of the month following the date of purchase. The terms of redemption are: Price named or market price at time of return, whichever is less.

"(9) The auctioneer to be tho sole arbitrator in every matter of dispute."

The Vendors’ Side. A Dominion reporter sought enlightenment respecting the conditions complained of. He was informed that it was necessary that the auctioneer should have tho right, io.refuse the bidding of certain people. There ware instances, that could bo multiplied, whec. a person had goods knocked down to him, and that was the last they heard of him, ft procedure in the stone fruit season that sometimes resulted in the partial or entire loss of a line, especially in such seasons as had been experienced with the brown ret at work. No bidder who consistently played the game was refused business, bub there were occasions when such a reservation was necessary to prevent serious loss to the grower. As the city grew, the business of the markets grew, and there were regulations which imposed on' the purchaser the necessity ot clearing' his goods as soon as after they were paid for in order that congestion might not arrie.'Penalty to enforce such rules had to he applied to allow the busineM of the markets to proreed as smoothly ns possible. Vendors were, as often as not. in the same position ns the buyers in regard to knowledge of the condition of the fruit in evtrr cnee in a big line. but. one was taken hanhazard as a general guide to its condition, nnd the occasions were rare when it wan not w. There teas nothing verv radical or marvellously new in the conditions tas was shown by eeverftl gets of conditions exhibited), and on the whole there was little to complain of on tho part of the buyer who knew his bpsiner’' and plnved the game.