NEW TOBACCO PRICES

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29051, 13 November 1959, Page 19

NEW TOBACCO PRICES

Auckland Report Denied Members of (the New Zealand Federation of Tobacconists’ and Hairdressers’ Association will sell cigarettes and tobacco at the new prices, laid d<Avn by the Price Tribunal, which came into effect on Wednesday. The federation's vice-president (Mr C. A. Lang) said this when he denied a report from Auckland that the federation would not agree to taking the loss on old stocks of cigarettes with the new prices. In a Press Association report from Auckland, the secretary of the New Zealand Federation of Restaurant, Milk-bar and Mixed Businesses’ Associations (Mr D. P. Green) said that the federation’s members, together with Jhe Registered Hairdressers’ Guild and Tobacconists’ Association and the New-Zealand Federation of Tobacconists’ and Hairdressers' Associations would not agree to taking the loss- on old stock and had asked the Minister of Finance (Mr Nordmeyer) and thg Price Tribunal to postpone the rder for a week oi; 10 days to allow retailers to clear their stocks. “Our federation has no part in this,” said Mr Lang, “and we wish to dissociate the federation from the statement. ‘We do not wish to go against the lay/. There is no dissension, as far as we are concerned the price went down this morning,” he said. Vending Machines In Christchurch on Wednesday some vending machines had been adjusted to sell cigarettes at the new prices. Grocers and milkbar proprietors were not all agreed on lowering their prices, some wanting to wait until part of the stocks they held had been cleared.

Officers of the Price Tribunal visited others and told them they must sell cigarettes at the new prices. One milk bar compromised by selling cigarettes which were formerly 2s lOd for 2s '9d. Cigarette retailers in Auckland were charging two prices, according to a Press Association message.

Hairdressers and tobacconists observed the Price Tribunal’s order of last Thursday and charged Is 3Jd for a packet of 10 and 2s 7d for 20. Grocers and most milk bars also lowered their prices, but milk bars and restaurants were charging the old prices of Is 5d and 2s lOd.

Most retailers were selling at the lower prices, but others said they were confused because they had not been notified individually of the decision.