Shortages “not fault of press’’

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33527, 7 May 1974, Page 1

Shortages “not fault of press’’

Newspapers printing correct reports of foodstuff shortages could not be held responsible for people panic-buying and hoarding, wholesalers in Christchurch said yesterday.

The wholesalers, and some retailers, had been asked to comment on statements by the Minister of Trade and Industry (Mr Freer) at the week-end.

Mr Freer said that the news media had continually built up shortages, and had aggravated them. Consumers then adopted the attitude, “If there is going to be such a shortage, let’s be in.” This had led to hoarding. Mr B. W. Johnson, the sales manager of one of the largest grocery chains in Christj church. Supervalue Superimarkets, said last evening ithat he had no complaints ■about the reporting of va-ious shortages. "The shortages have not been unfairly reported, but have merely drawn them to the attention of the public. I agree that the reporting of a shortage aggravates the situation, but you just cannot ■gnore these things otherwise you wouldn’t be doing your iob,” Mr Johnson said, Mr R. W. Thomas, the general manager of Foodstuffs ''Christchurch), Ltd (Four Square Stores), said that some shortages might be i compounded by newspaper I reports. “I think it’s all right to report a genuine shortage,” he said. At present, sugar was a “genuine shortage” and ! he was quite happy with the

way “The Press” had been reporting this. He could recall only one case recently of a shortage reported which did not in fact exist — that of salt.

“But in general a shortage must exist before it comes to the attention of the newspapers,” Mr Thomas said. Mr Thomas and Mr Johnson did not wish to be drawn into an argument with Mr Freer about shortages. Other representatives in Christchurch of national wholesale grocers showed a similar reluctance to comment on Mr Freer’s statement. One sales manager, who declined to give his name, said: “I think Mr Freer is trying to blame these shortages on you.” PRESS COUNCIL

The National Association of Retail Grocers decided at its annual conference in Dunedin yesterday to take up publicity about shortages with the Press Council and the N.Z. B.C. Moving that this course be adopted. Mr C. W. Rush, of Otago, said toilet rolls were an example of a shortage being created by news media, and sugar and soap powder were examples of shortages aggravated by them. The managing secretary of the association (Mr R. M. Barker) said that it was the duty of the media to gather news, and warned the conference that they might “close the door.”