Plan For Price Checks

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32233, 27 February 1970, Page 22

Plan For Price Checks

i (N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 26. ! A possible system of prior notification of price increases was proposed today by the Minister of I Industries and Commerce (Mr Shelton). He said in an interview) I that before making firm plans I he would have to consider a) I report now being prepared by I i his department. I *1 do not want to force) ; this thing through,” he said. l ,“1 would like to get every-) ! one together on this. ; ) “I intend to see the manuI facturers first, to see if they ' will' agree to the scheme, and | then perhaps to hold a meet- ! ing of those most concerned,

including the Federation of i Labour." I The scheme as suggested I by the Minister seems likely ’ to be similar in result—if not ’in form—to a programme, , which the Labour Party has i advocated for some time, I [ according to the N.Z.P.A.’sI ''political correspondent. The Minister, said he had) in mind the application of the scheme to a limited num-1 r ber of “sensitive” commodities—particularly food. ’ “But you can’t have prior of all price 'increases," he said. “Take , vegetables as an example—- ' I they, are sold at auction. How can you bring vegetables into I such a scheme?” Earlier today the president| of the Federation of Labour (Mr T. E. Skinner) told* reporters after a meeting with the Prime Minister (Mr* Holyoake) that he was under! the impression that the Minister was to set up a committee to discuss price increases. j Conversation with Mr Shel-

hton, however, revealed no Government plans for a “comI mittee," apart from the prosJpective meeting of interested (; parties. >( Mr Skinner, whose organi- ; sat ion earlier had called for , a strengthening Of the Trade; ; Practices Division of the Department of Industries and: I Commerce, said he had been 1 ! told that the Government was: - looking at the question. Mr Skinner agreed that an) application for a general ■ wage order was one of thei ■ steps which could be taken • by the federation's executive • after the national council’s : discussion on price increases i yesterday. But he said he had not raised this matter ‘]with the Prime Minister. •i’This is purely a matter for I] the Federation of ’Labour,”] he said.