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Fair Trading prosecutions over Elton John concert
A Christchurch tour company and its New Zealand director each face 43 Fair Trading Act charges over a failed attempt to transport fans to Dunedin by rail for an Elton John concert.
The concert was to take place at the covered Forsyth Barr Stadium last November.
In fact, no train was arranged and concert-goers travelled by bus.
Racing Tours and Promotions Australasia Ltd, which is based in Sir William Pickering Drive, Burnside, and its New Zealand director Roger Sutherland, were prosecuted in Christchurch District Court at the Nga Hau e Wha marae today.
All the charges were remanded to November 8, without plea, for a further appearance in the miscellaneous list court, by Judge David Holderness.
The charges allege that the company and the director represented in advertising and promotion that the transport would be by rail, when the transport actually provided was by bus. They allege that payment was accepted for the train trip, where the company did not intend to provide train transport.
They also allege some consumers were refused refunds for cancellations that they were entitled to under the Consumer Guarantees Act.
Some charges allege that people booking tickets were charged undisclosed fees for credit card transactions and couriers.
Many of the charges allege that people paid extra for ?Celebration Class? tickets but received no extra benefits than other concert-goers.
Duty solicitor Aliza Eveleigh asked for the remand without plea to allow the defendants to consult a lawyer.
