THE SUGAR TRUST CASE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 528, 21 December 1912, Page 5

THE SUGAR TRUST CASE.

COURT DELIVERS JUDGMENT.

AGAINST MERCHANTS' ASSO-

CIATION

[I.V Wellington, This Day.

The Chief .lusiice (Sir Robert Stout) delivered liia reserved judgment in t.lio sugar c.:uw King v. Merchants' Association. He found- 1. That discount scales «.i' Colonial Sugar Company'a Nop. :' mid ." were ma.lo to prevent, competition in sales and disposal of sugar. :'-' 'l''iai they wr.ro made to enable a commercial trust, or association or group of buyers to got control of the distribution of nugar. .'!. That they were matin ho as to prevent Messrs Fnirbaiin, Wright ">" 1 Co. or other persons from purchasing sugar, and giving certain discount,!! to purchase from liiem. ■). That defendants were acting in consort or cuiiapiring together to get in,; ' :;,) "" trol. !".. That they were made so as to ensure :>. profit that might otherwise not have gone to members of the trust, going to members of the trust. In the course of his judgment Sir Robert StuM said, in his opinion, the court must hold thai, keeping up the price of goods, or nol, reducing them when they could be reduced, if there were free competition, was contrary to the public interest. To say that a difference of -1 to b' ; per crnt. on goods would not ati'cci, pries was not proved. The only evidence en the subject, was that it would affect prices to the consumer. As defendants called no evidence to contradict the statement of Mr Fairbairn the court must assume that no such evidence could have been called. DEFENDANTS FINED £IOOO. APPEAL TO BE LODGED. Wellington, This Day.

Sir Robert Stout said ho was of opinion that every one of tho defendants was liable to a penalty of .£SOO for controlling, regulating and determining the. prico; that the Sugar Company was liable for .1:250 for creating a monopoly, and .£250 for giving concessions in consideration of exclusive custom; that all defendants except the Su«ar Company were liable fo" .£SOO for breach of the section of the Act dealing with refusing or accepting on condition to supply goods on the ground that purchaser is not a member o£ the Commercial Trust.

Judgment therefore wan given for .£IOOO against every one of the defendants, with costs. Stay of proceedings was granted pending appeal,