PRICE-CONTROL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 124, 7 March 1941, Page 8

PRICE-CONTROL.

WIDER POWERS FOR TRIBUNAL. amendment of regulations. ".f ;G. ' . v (P.A.) WELLINGTOON, March 6. Changing conditions necessitated amendments being made to the Price Stabilisation Emergency Regulations, and t|ie amendments gazetted today were designed to overcome difficulties which had become apparent in the practical application of the original regulations, said the Minister for Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) to-night. “One important amendment is that which refers to new lines of goods, that is goods which were not on the New Zealand market when the war broke out, and also to goods known as; fashion lines,” said Mr Sullivan. “With,' respect to these, the tribunal can,pp'w require! the vendor to submit such particulars .as will enable it to determine whether the price charged is ; fair, and reasonable, and can make an ,prder : fixing the prices which may lie.charged for such goods.” ■ Some doubt had been expressed as to,;Whether the original regulations coyerpd ; sales 1 of goods which were aecqnjpanied by an act of service as, for/example, the supplying of meals in a restaurant, Tlie tribunal always considered that the regulations covered such cases; but to make the position quite clear, a clause had been inserted in the amending regulations to remove any doubt. Thus, the prior approval of the tribunal was required before any increases ; in charges for combinations of goods and services could he made, >■. “A further amendment,” said the Minister, “removes any doubt which might have existed as to the jurisdiction of the tribunal with respect to .increases imposed by local authorities and public bodies which are entitled, by virtue of some act of general or special application, to fix prices or charges for transactions involving the sale of goods, or the performance of services. It js now clear that no increase may he imposed without the permission of the tribunal. {t A further amendment provides that when so required by the tribunal, retailors throughout New Zealand, or it may he .retnilecl in • spmo specified locality/must .exhibit and keep prominently displayed in tlfeir shops notices showing the*old and new selling prices of..such lines of goods as the tribunal nominates. , : “It has been considered necessary to enumerate a number of offences. These are: “(a) Without the consent of the tribunal, issuing price lists purporting to carry the tribunal’s approval; “(b) Without tho consent of the tribunal! fixing prices expressed to be subject to adjustment after receipt of a tribunal decision, without the consent of the tribunal. “(c) Without the consent of the tribunal, packing goods in smaller containers, and packing fewer goods in a similar size container than previously, used; is. “(d) Altering to the prejudice of the consumer any formula or rdeipe; ■ “(e) Manufacturing goods of a, quality inferior l to that of goods '.previously manufactured (with intent to deceive).”