Policy On Prices

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29908, 23 August 1962, Page 14

Policy On Prices

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, August 22. It was the Government’s policy to see that the community was protected against unjustifiable price increases, said the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Marshall) in the House of Representatives todav.

Mr P. Blanchfield (Opposition, Westland) had asked what steps the Government was taking, in view of consumer price rises of up to per cent, after the 21 per cent, wage increase, to protect the wage and salaryearner against unjustifiable price increases.

Mr Marshall said that where goods and services were not subject to control, the department would investigate any specific instances of apparently unjustifiable price increases.

Miss M. B. Howard (Opposition, Sydenham) asked Mr Marshall what should be done when a shopkeeper with tinned fish in his window at 2s 3d, on an Announcement of a cut of imports of tinned fish charged customers 2s 4d. Mr Marshall: Go in and say

what you think about the shopkeeper.

Mr Marshall added that it had been found that some grocery lines had been substantially increased, in some cases up to 20 per cent, on the retail price. The items were largely packed in bottles which were increased in price from June 8. The department was not sure whether all the increases in retail prices were due to the increased cost of bottles, or whether some of it could be attributed to other increased costs, which had not previously been passed on to the consumer, or whether some of the increase could be attributed to the general wage order. The department was continuing its investigations, said Mr Marshall.

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