ANTI-PROFITEERING

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 84, 9 April 1920, Page 8

ANTI-PROFITEERING

WHAT THE TRIBUNALS DO.

, There are four .committees or tribunals sitting simultaneously in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin hearing complaints' of excessive prices and investigating them. The proceedings of such tribunals in England are open to the public, and are also reportable in the press. ' It is not so in New Zealand, for under, section 21 of the Board of Trade Act, 1919, "Every such inquiry sha-11'be ..held in private.":, Consequently the public in New Zealand is not )|jade aware of what the tribunals in the .f.our cities are doing. Of course, under the section of the Board of Trade Act quoted above, the board has "the right of. publication expressly -conferred" upon it, and possibly something may be published in due course (additional to the board's annual report) 1 showing what the board and the tribunals are doing. -,;

From Mr. C. M. Luke, chairman of tl;e "Wellington Committee or Tribunal (speaking unofficially) it was learned by The Post to-day that on that body receiving any- complaint in writing or verbally 'ihe.rnatter'.is exhaustively gone into^ and"the retailer concerned is communicated with, and, in all cases, his wholfcEaVlsiipplier also. If, in th& opin. ion .of the Tribunal, and after full investigation, the person or persons against whom a charge has been made desire to appear before it,: then an opportunity of doing so is afforded. In their own interests they' may be called upon to be .present. ■ . „.■■,

1' ■ As to the meetings of the committees being open to the press, as in England, Mr. Luke has not thought it desirable, mainly in. the interests of the people who may brine complaints. They would perhaps be reluctant .to do so if the proceedings were made public. It has been thought best (rightly or wrongly) in the interests of the people to hold the inquiries in private. , No notice was taken of anonymous communications. People who write must sign their names and give their address. Of course, all communications are regarded as strictly confidential..