F. R. MARRIOTT.]

H.—44A.

63. So the complaint is that chemists were selling your line at an excessive price ? —Largely, yes. Not many people outside chemists stock our goods. Those who were stocking it were selling it at Is. 3d. ; every one was selling it at Is. 3d. 64. You mentioned a certain firm, or, rather, you handed in certain names. Who was the firm doing the cutting: was it [Name deleted,] ? —lt was not actually [Name deleted | head office ; it was done by one of their branches. 65. Are you aware that [Name deleted] have no branches ? —No, I am not aware of that. 66. Would you tell us in what town that was done ?—That was done in Wanganui. 67. I point out to you in this room the gentlemen who are interested in [Name deleted] : do you know them ? —Yes, I do know them. 68. Do you suggest it was either of these gentlemen ?—No, it was not either of them. The man's name was [Name deleted], 69. Do you admit that the firm I represent was not affected ?—No ; they were affected. Mr. Kennedy : Of course, I did not happen to be present when the witness handed in the names, so that I am not clear what happened. The Chairman : Three names were given confidentially to the Committee by Mr, Marriott. The witness said they were the names of three persons who demanded that they should receive the same discount on their purchases as were allowed to wholesalers like Kempthorne Prosser's and Sharland's, and who stated that unless they did receive similar discounts they would cut the price of the goods, and conditional on their receiving those discounts they would observe the prices fixed by the manufacturers of the line in question. 70. Mr. Kennedy (to witness).] Had you granted such terms to any one else in New Zealand ?— Yes. 71. That is, to people other than Kempthorne Prosser and Sharland's ?—Oh, yes. 72. So that the men you refer to were really only bargaining for what you had previously allowed to others ?—That is so. 73. Had you made such an arrangement with any one else in the City of Wellington ?—Yes. 74. I suppose that that fact became known ? —There was no reason for it to become known. 75. But, if it had become known, there was nothing terrible in their asking you to extend to them the same benefits ? —There was nothing to prevent their asking for it. 76. They are large buyers, are they not ? —Yes. 77. None bigger, T suppose, in the town ? —Yes. 78. Not many ? —There are bigger ones. 79. Mr. O'Leary.] Have you any preference in regard to the class of shop through which you wish to retail your goods V —Yes. 80. What preference ? —Shops which will observe our prices. 81. Ido not mean that; I mean the class of shop ?—Yes ; we always endeavour to have our goods sold in recognized toilet-shops, such as chemists, and drapers who have a special toilet department, and fancy-goods shops with toilet departments. 82. But you want a special toilet department ?—We prefer them to handle our goods. 83. Have you any preference between them and a chemist ? —Our first preference is towards chemists. 84. Mr. Myers.] You have said that you have no method of ascertaining whether or not the price charged in the first i istarxe by the manufacturer is reasonable or not ? —That is so. 85. When a manufacturer makes application to be registered are you able to see what is the margin of profit respectively for the wholesaler and retailer ? —Yes, we are able to decide whether they are fair and reasonable. 86. And it is when both are, or either is, in your opinion, too high that you would object ?—Of course, lam speaking personally. I should say that if either price were in my estimation wrong I would object, unless the manufacturer reduced his prices to what I considered fair and reasonable. 87. The articles you are interested in are perfumery lines ? —Yes, toilet articles. 88. You mention the name of [Name deleted]. Is lie in the employ of [Name deleted| ?—1 have been given to understand so. 89. They have a branch in Wanganui ?- 1 have treated it as a branch. 90. And you have sold to it as a branch of [Name deleted] ?—Certainly. 91. You told Mr. Kennedy you had granted similar terms —that is, 20 per cent, off list—to others than | Name deleted] ?—Yes. 92. Did you do that of your own volition, or under a similar threat ?—The others were made on my own volition. They were recognized by the wholesale trade as being entitled to it. 93. The Wellington name on the list you handed in is one of them ? —Yes. 94. The Chairman.] You have nothing to complain about, then ? —No. 95. Mr. Myers.] You were not in a position to stop it ? —No. 96. Would you have given those terms to anybody but for the threat that unless you did the price would be cut ? —Certainly not. 97. Mr. Hayward.] You have had overseas experience in these lines ? —No. 98. You have ha I no experience in handling these lines where the P.A.T.A. has been in operation ? —No. 99. Mr. Montgomery.] Have you any experience of New South Wales methods of fixing prices ? — No, none whatever. 100. Mr. Reardon.] I suppose you would not claim that, let us say, your standard of morality is higher in New Zealand than in New South Wales ?—I have a lot of respect for the stand a r.. of morality in New Zealand. Ido not know anything about New South Wales.

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