More exemptions from freeze

Press, 19 July 1983, Page 3

More exemptions from freeze

PA Wellington Price freeze hardship exemptions are snowballing, a release from the Trade and Industry Department showed yesterday. The department confirmed that it had given hardship approvals to 17 companies because their suppliers had been granted hardship exemptions. A spokesman, Mr Peter Donovan, said that a recent amendment to the freeze regulations gave the Secretary for Trade and Industry discretion to pass on relief needed because of successful hardship applications. The 17 companies which have gained the relief deal in wire products or readymixed concrete.

Mr Donovan, a departmental assistant secretary (commerce), said manufacturers of both products had previously gained approvals

for price rises. Among other price rises granted by the department last week were 18 further applicants, and four school transport contractors. The “serious anomaly” provisions of the freeze saw approval for price increases given to bee-keepers who supply pollination services to kiwifruit growers in the Bay of Plenty. The same provision has enabled the national committee for Unicef an average increase of 8.5 per cent for stationery products, calendars, and greeting cards. The department received 41 hardship appplications in the week ended Wednesday, July 13. In the same period, 11 applications were declined and three withdrawn.

These wire products companies were granted dispensation under the new provi-

sions of the freeze: Anchor Fence, Ltd, Auckland; Auto Machine Manufacturing, Auckland, Dunedin, and Wellington; Cyclone, CMI, Auckland and Christchurch; Eclipse Wire (Waikato), Ltd, Hamilton; Eclipse Wire (Hawke’s Bay), Ltd, Napier, Eclipse Wire Products, Palmerston North; P. H. Venables, Ltd, Christchurch. Some of the other hardship applications approved were: Bright Idea Marketing, Christchurch, an increase of $2.50 for the mini-magazine; Homestead Lodge, Timaru, an increase in motel rentals of 31.25 per cent; W. H. Price and Son, Christchurch, an increase in 5 per cent in engineering and foundry charges. Staite Motors, Ltd, Waimate, an increase of 8 per cent in charge-out rates; The Darkroom Associates, Ltd, Christchurch, an increase of 22 per cent in photographic laboratory charges.