Mr Muldoon attacks price scheme

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33383, 15 November 1973, Page 2

Mr Muldoon attacks price scheme

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 14. An increase in unemployment in some industries is seen by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Mr Muldoon) as a result of the Government’s latest price stabilisation measures.

People would be dis charged from botl manufacturing and re tailing companies be cause retailers woult cancel orders for goods for which they were nol receiving an adequate margin. Mr Muldoon said this evening. Between equal pay anc the latest price measures, retailers would decide to make do with two girls in a department instead of three. “He’ll sack one girl and il the customer has to wait t little while, that’s it," said Mr Muldoon. The regulations woulc only distort trading patterns and cause shortages ol ! goods where traders fell

they were being di: criminated against. “NO SOLUTION” Mr Muldoon said the after 12 months in office th Government was admittin it did not really have an solution to the problem o inflation. “Early last year Mr Kir said the Labour Party had dynamic new policy to hoi price increases. “Everyone now know that there was no such po icy because price increase this year have far exceede anything that was occurrin at the time Mr Kirk mad his pronouncement in 1972, said Mr Muldoon. "I do not believe that anj one will accept this lates move as being mor effective than any of th frantic price control propc sals that the Labour Part

■ has introduced earlier this year. "The Government has stil t not realised that to contro s the wage-price spiral the; ™ must introduce com prehensive policies whicl ' touch incomes as well as prices. c “These policies were there a and were working at th< j time of the change of gov ernment. Until the Laboui s Government recognises that . and confesses that they des' 3 troyed them, they cannot ■] put the first foot on the , road back to wage and price ’ stability.” ’ “WHY NOT SOONER?” ! Commenting on the Gov. - ernment’s statement that the t measures announced todaj J would apply only until June J next year, Mr Muldoon saic • that if the Government hac T had a solution it should have been introduced in January 1973, not June 1974.