RISING PRICES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 233, 1 October 1936, Page 8

RISING PRICES.

MANY COMPLAINTS. PREVENTION OF PROFITEERING INVESTIGATIONS UNDER ACT. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day.' Since the Prevention of Profiteering Act was passed early in August officers ®f the Department of Industries and Commerce have been actively investigating complaints in 45 separate industries and trades, and a great deal of information ,has been secured which is in process of analysis and tabulation.

This information was given in an interview by: the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, when asked regarding the action being taken under the Act. The Minister said the Act was 4 designed to prevent profiteering by prohibiting the making of unreasonable increases in the price charged for goods and services. Complaints had been received from many parts of the Dominion that prices had been advanced. The investigations would ascertain the extent to which prices had been advanced over and above the basic ! price as defined in the Act, and the j extent to which those advances appeared j to be reasonable. The latter point involved the extent, if any, by which the expenses the person or firm complained of had, since June 1, been directly or indirectly increased by the operation of any amendment of law relating to the rates of remuneration of the workers and of working hours, and also the extent by which business was likely to be increased through the increased demand for the kind of goods sold, or the services performed due to increased purchasing power. The Minister added that when the information was complete, it would be placcd before him to decide whether;'thar<& were sufficient, grounds to justify : any complaints being placed before the magistrate appointed' under the Act.