ENVELOPE PRICES

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30215, 21 August 1963, Page 16

ENVELOPE PRICES

Investigation Requested

(Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, August 20. What action could tihe Price Tribunal take to ensure against “surreptitious means” of increasing the price of packets of envelopes? Mr W. W Freer (Opp, Mount Albert) asked in Parliament today Was the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Marshall) aware that a company had reduced the number of envelopes in each pack while maintaining the former price? Mr Marshall replied that In August, 1959, the Labour Government gave a licence for £700,000 for importing a paper-making machine. The paper it made w’as more expensive than imported paper Mr Freer said the number in the packs had fallen from 25 to as few as 16 envelopes He nad no evidence of this, said Mr Marshall, but if Mr Freer brought some evidence he would have it investigated Mr Freer: Is it asking too much to have an officer of the Department of Industries and Commerce to count the number of envelopes in a pack? Would the Minister have declined such an application for an import licence? Mr Marshall: I am surprised Mr Freer is so critical of an action of his own Government. The department has found that the price of paper from Tasmania is Is |d and of New Zealand-made paper Is 31d.