THE SUGAR TRUST.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 22 April 1913, Page 6

THE SUGAR TRUST.

ARGUMENT IN APPEAL COURT. (By Telegraph. — Press A ssociation.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. Argument was continued this lnorninji; before tho Court of Appeal in tho Sugar Trust case. i\v Skerrett, K.C., dealing with the charge of conspiracy to monopolise the (loin:!nd or .supply of sugar, contended that nothing was further from the mind of the Sugar Company; Ho pointed out that the compa.ny was in control of the . upply of sugar, and hj» siiloiiiU.'d tliit the whole object of th:> organisation was to distribute 'U'grM' a'iio:tgst (lie nicrchanfs of New 7, 'a!''iut, and to sr-llas much i-ugar as .it e u!d. Ho further contended that every combination controls prices, but that only controls contrary to public interest was prohibited by statute. Ho submitted that it nutt-st bo clearly proved that the interests of tho public were interfered with. TKiE CASE CONTINUED. * WELLINGTON. Last Night. 15' f.tre the Appeal Court the sugar case w r a.=i crntinued. In d : -:':u rising the meaning of the words "contrary to the public interest." reference was made by Mr C P. Skerret' of the judgment of the High Cn.ti.rJ;- of Australia in tlie Coal Vend cn<-s. which he submitted was an authority on the language of the New Zealand Act. Ho contended that unless the outcome of control was to make the price .unreasonably high, and thero was no proof that this had boen the result.in the present it wa,s no L contrary to the public interest, and no offence was committed. iMr T. Young followed Mr Skerrett, and addressed the Court only--upon title construction of the Act and upon lines similar to those adopted by Mr Skerrett. ■Mr Hosking, for the Sugar Company, adopted the arguments of Messrs Skerrett and ' Young, in so far as they were in favour of tho company. He briefly outlined the offences charged nigain.st 'the company and for which fines had been inflicted, submitting that there was not sufficient evidence to support the convictions. He then proceeded to review tho evidence, and had not completed his task when the court adjourned till to-morrow.