SURPLUS STORES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 35, 11 February 1943, Page 6

SURPLUS STORES

POST-WAR DISPOSAL Eliminating profiteering The question of the disposal of surplus stores after the war was raised at this morning s meeting of the council of the Chamber of Commerce, when it was reported that the Wellington executive intended to investigate the matter. Of added interest was a letter from the London Chamber of Commerce to the Auckland Chamber, giving the report ot its special committee. It was stated that it was essential in the national interest that an adequate return should be obtained on stores declared by the Government to be surplus requirements. The work of disposing of such surplus stores should be carried out through the industries affected, with adequate representation of the distributive side. _ • To eliminate speculative profiteering the Government was urged to entrust such work on the basis of a commission sufficient to cover the cost to non-profit-making companies specially set up for the purpose. It was suggested that a central cipmpany working with a nominal capital (51 per cent of which would be in the hands of the Government) and representative of manufacturing, merchant and trade union interests, with a Government nominee, be set up to control the policy of "commodity disposal companies," which would each represent an industry or group of industries. Other proposals were that all stocks should be surrendered to the disposal companies, any supplies needed by the armed services thereafter being indented by them from the disposal companies; that apart from service requirements, all sales should be made through the recognised trade channels. At the conclusion of the selling operations a land and disposal company should take over the land and buildings remaining for disposal. The committee recognised that special provisions might be necessary to give effect to undertakings with the United States Government under the Lease-Lend provisions. Instead of the surplus being a hindrance to reconstruction and. to the export trade, as it had been in the past, certain types could be exported with a view to creating a demand for the future, which has not hitherto existed. For example, road making plant and lorries could be given or sold at a nominal price to undeveloped countries.