EXCESSIVE CHARGE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 66, 18 March 1944, Page 6

EXCESSIVE CHARGE

OYSTERS AND CHIPS

A RESTAURATEUR FINED

"For a meal of 12 oysters in batter, eight potato chips, bread and butter, and tea, two inspectors of the Price Tribunal were charged 3/ each by the defendant," said Mr. S. Cleal, for the prosecution, when, in the Magistrate's Court, George Vlasie, proprietor of the Empire Cafe, Customs Street, pleaded guilty to charging 3/ instead of 2/, the price fixed by the Tribunal. Mr. Terry appeared for defendant.

"The oysters were very small," said Mr. Cleal. "When the inspectors saw the defendant he said there had been a mistake. There was a price order hanging up behind the counter, but the public would not be able to read it."

Mr. Terry said the meal was served in January when oysters would be considered a luxury. Vlasic had been able to get some Stewart Island oysters, and he told the staff the oysters were not to be sold as a separate meal, but only in conjunction with something else, such as steak. The Price Tribunal had fixed the price of 2/ to cover the whole of New Zealand, but to get the oysters sent to Auckland meant added cost. Oysters were not at that time on the menu as a separate meal, and defendant had not authorised them to be served as such, nor had he given authority to charge 3/. Mr. Cleal said defendant had secured 26 tins of oysters at £1 a tin. Each tin contained 262 oysters, which was less than Id each. "I do not suggest the defendant is doing so, but there is a suspicion that some restaurant keepers are treating the fines as licenses to charge high prices," added Mr. Cleal.

The magistrate, Mr. Levien, remarked that the case was somewhat different from those where people overcharged on lines used hv families. Defendant was fined £10 and costs.