TRUSTS AND COMBINES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8464, 14 June 1907, Page 5

TRUSTS AND COMBINES.

THE TIMBER INDUSTRY. A MINISTERIAL SUGGESTION.

The subject of trusts and combines was discussed during the course of an interview a Wellington Post reporter had with the Minister for Labour (Hon. J. A. Millar) yesterday. Apropos of the suggested existence of a "timber ring," Mr Millar said that he had received information giving instances In which kauri obtained outside the ring could be bought for a little over £1 per 100 ft (as against from 27s to 28s), while other classes of timber could be purchased direct from outside the "ring" at from lis to 12s 6d per 100 ft, as against from 16s 6d to 18s. "That," said the Minister, "is sufficient evidence for the Government to consider whether any more kauri bush should be sold. At present it is tendered for at prices which would render the present charges highly remunerative to the 'ring.'" "It is quite apparent that there are more trusts in New Zealand than the Flour Trust—in fact there is sufficient evidence to show that things are tending in the direction of the creation of trusts which are controlling some of the most important branches of trade in the colony. In America President Roosevelt has found it necessary to set up special committees to enquire into the organisation of these trusts, with the object of enabling Parliament to deal with them in an effective manner. It seems to me that now there is in the colony a distinct attempt to create trusts and combines it is a much bptter thing to set up a Board of Commerce to which any of these matters could be referred whenever it was apparent Jthat an undue price was being charged, and to enquire and report, so that the Minister or Parliament could deal with it. Prevention is a great deal better than cure." The Minister added that if a Board of Commerce was created it would not take long to discover further attempts to create trusts in the colony.

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