BOYCOTT WEAPON

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20740, 25 February 1939, Page 8

BOYCOTT WEAPON

DIFFICULT TO CONTROL LEGISLATION NECESSARY COMMENT (BY MR ARMSTRONG (By Telegraph.—Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday Existing legislation is not sufficiently comprehensive to enable the Government to prevent or restrict a boycott. This point was discussed by the Minister of Housing, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, in an interview to-day. The practice of boycott could not be approved by anyone, he said. The problem had confronted him a few months ago when he held the portfolio of Minister of Labour, and found there was no means by which the Government could proceed against offenders. Additional legislation would be necessary before a boycott could bo outlawed. It was open for a business man to proceed against individuals if he could prove that his business had been injured by a boycott but there were no means by which the State could proceed against organisations. Obstacles Cited Mr Armstrong added that It would not be easy to draft legislation because boycott was carried out in many forms and was extremely difficult to deal with. It could be carried out by registered and properly-constituted organisations, and also by sections of the community that had no organisations, name or standing. The housewives of New* Zealand, if they wished, could carry out a boycott of considerable proportions. Business firms or even individuals who had to contend with an organised effort, of that sort would suffer greatly, and it would be extremely difficult for the Government to check the movement. The Minister also said the boycott was a common practice in business circles. Many retailers knew If they sold certain articles below a fixed price their supplies would immediately be cut off. This was another aspect of the problem that would have to be taken into consideration if additional legislation were being introduced.