PRICE CONTROL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 118, 22 May 1939, Page 5

PRICE CONTROL.

WORK BEGINS SOON.

GOVERNMENT TRIBUNAL

MINISTER'S ANNOUNCEMENT. (By Telegraph. --Tress Association.) WKLLIXCTOX, Sunday. The Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, stated yesterday that the l'riee Investigation Tribunal which was recently set up hy the Government would oonunencc work in the coming week. An announcement concerning the appointment of Mr. Justice Hunter as one of the members was made recently. M r . .Justice Hunter will act as chairman of the tribunal He will leave ( hristchurch for Wellington to-morrow , ll: , llt to ~l kt, , h . - duties.

Extensive Experience. The other member whom the Government has appointed is Mr. H L Wise advisory officer of the Department of Industries and Commerce. Mr. Wise is an accountant by examination, a member of the New Zealand Societv of Accountants and of the Incorporated Institute of Accountants of y ow Zealand, and a fellow of the Koval Kcono- ""<• Society. He has had considerable experience of price fixation ami control in .New Zealand under the Board of Irade Act. MM, and the Prevention of I rohlcenng Act. Mat!, and has in addition made a special study of price regulation ami control in other countries. -mi. Wise has served on numerous Governmental committees and is secretary "I the tobacco Hoard.

Arrangements are at present beina made for the provision of suitable office accommodation for the tribunal in Web imgton. I„ the meantime the tribunal will be housed in the offices 0 f the Department of Industries and Commerce in the new Government Life Insurance Building. Regulations requiring price increases to be notified to the tribunal are now being drafted.

More Effective Control. Mr. Sullivan said the tribunal, after being notified of the intention to increase any price, would examine the reasons put forward, and if the increase >vas not justified the matter would be taken up by the tribunal with the party concerned. This procedure would make for mere effective price control. L rider the Board of Trade Act the tribunal will be given powers of judicial nqu.ry. and will, if necessary, be able to call persons licfore it to giv"e evidence m support of any increase in prices the Government was adopting this procedure Mr Sullivan said,'by "reason of the attitude, of a few toward the present situation. The Government had been reluctantly compelled to adopt the procedure he had outlined P