COMMERCIAL TRUST ACT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 165, 29 November 1912, Page 5

COMMERCIAL TRUST ACT.

MR. FAIRBAIRN CROSS-EXAMINED. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Thursday. Mr. Fairbairn, of Fairbairn, Wright and Co., was further cross-examined when -the Trust Act prosecution was resumed to-day. Witness said his firm allowed all their customers in sugar the same discount, retaining one, or half per cent, themselves. On lines which they indented they charged from 2'A per cent to 10 per cent, for tariff lines. In reply to a question as to what was considered a fair profit for retailers to make on Neave's Food, witness said some retailers had evidently been content with a profit of lfi per cent.

Counsel wished to ask witness what profit his firm made on lines that were not tariffed. .Mr. Fairbairn asked if he were bound to answer.

The Chief Justice said witness should not be asked to disclose his private business. What had the question to do with the case? Counsel: This witness says he can' sell sugar at V/, per cent., and we wish to show that if he can do so it is by making bigger profits on other lines. Witness said the suggestion was that his firm charged liijjier prices for some goods than other merchants did. He would be willing to produce his pricelist to be compared by the Court with the price-list of even date issued by the Merchants' Association. After further examination the. case closed for the Crown.

Non-suit points were raised by counsel on behalf of the Sugar Company, the Merchants' Association and others, but His Honor said' he did not think it necessary at this stage to express any conclusive opinion. He had not formed any conclusive opinion, but he thought the case required further investigation. He therefore refused a non-suit.

Defendants did not call any evidence.