PUBLIC INQUIRY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 10, 12 January 1940, Page 4

PUBLIC INQUIRY.

MANAGER'S SUGGESTION.

WHAKATANE CONTROVERSY.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

WHAKATANE, this day.

The.£act that Whakatane Paper Mills, Ltd, Muld now welcome a public hearing fadtore the Price Investigation Tribunal of ita application for increased prices, with the right to cross-examine those Government officers and other witnesses, if any, who were opposed to the increases asked for, "was mentioned to-day by the managing director of the company, Mr. JL A. Horrocks, in replying to the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan. "It is no doubt true that various Government officers have recommended against the increases in prices which the company asked for. It is, however, equally true that I was afforded no opportunity of reading or hearing any statements or recommendations made by such Government officers to the tribunal. Neither was I afforded any right of cross-examination, without the teat of which their evidence is comparatively valueless," said Mr. Horrocks.

"We recognise that the public interest must be fully protected. The public, therefore, is entitled to know whether this new and very important industry is justified in its claims, or whether such claims are groundless. A public inquiry by the tribunal, in which the ordinary rules of Courts of justice as to evidence were followed, would enable the puiblic to learn the real facts.

"The company's plant is working at full capacity. No specific information of 'inefficiency' has been given to me, and even if no allowance at all were made in costing for executive salaries thi« could not reduce the price of the company's product by more than £1 a ton.

"It will be 6een, therefore, that an order which substantially fell short of the company's requirements and will involve unprofitable operations compels the cessation of production. The company only asks for such fair treatment as it can justify in a publicly held tribunal."