M.R.P. scheme “dead”

Press, Issue 33842, 14 May 1975, Page 5

M.R.P. scheme “dead”

Political window-dressing which had been faulty in concept and impossible to implement, the Government’s maximum retail price scheme was dead, but would not lie down, the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Muldoon) said on Monday. The National Party proposed to let the scheme die, and give it a decent burial, Mr Muldoon told a luncheon meeting of Christchurch accountants.

Many products still had labels bearing the empty M.R.P. shields, and the Government was still trying to get voluntary compliance with the scheme, even though it knew it was incapable of working, and always had been, he said. Had the scheme been used to the extent that was originally intended, it would merely have put prices up.

It would be remembered only because a television programme Which brilliantly set out the scheme’s defects later won a competition for the year’s best current affairs programme, Mr Muldoon said.

Soccer.— The Canterbury under 12 soccer team, on a North Island our, had a convincing, 7-0 win n its match against an Auckland nvitation team yesterday.

Yachting.—The New Zealand kipper, Barry Thom, has won >oth heats of the South Pacific .aser-ciass championships sailed ff Mooloolaba, New South Wales.