ABSTRACT
The Monopolies Commission was empowered to examine reference industries dominated by single companies from its establishment in 1948. In practice, however, the early references were concentrated upon the activities of trade associations; the problems relating to the dominant firm were deferred for later examination. The inquiry into the supply of matches was the only specific dominant firm inquiry launched in the early years of the Commission’s operations. Legislation in 1956 provided for the creation of a Restrictive Practices Court, and for the judicial review by this court of certain types of restrictive trading agreement. The scope of the Monopolies Commission was correspondingly curtailed.
