STILL PRICE-FIXING

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 1, 3 January 1927, Page 8

STILL PRICE-FIXING

CLOTHING IN QUEENSLAND

DECREED 35 PEB CENT. ON LAND.

ED CASH.

Following an investigation into the prices of clothing by one of its members, assisted by two assessors representing, the clothing .trade' and the general public, the Queensland Board of. Trade on 14th December announced its I decision. After stating-that the clothing item in the basic wage was less than 15s out of £4 ss,- the. board declared that it was clear that a drastic reduction of clothing prices would be necessary to make a very substantial difference to the average basic wage earner, yet it appeared that a drastic reduction could not reasonably be made after a. schedule of maximum prices has. been fixed. It fully appreciated, <-he board said, the difficulty and expense of policing the schedule. Its proper supervision would probably require the services of Government auditors to make frequent, if not continuous, audits of transactions of traders Averaged over three years, it might bo claimed that profits were not more than reasonable. Apparently both'the assessors had. taken that -view, because neither had. recommended any further action under the Profiteering Prevention Act. •■■•.••■ ° The board, however, had come to the conclusion that some restriction of pronts should be made. Mr. T. C Beirne managing director of T. C."'Beinie and U>., Ltd., had suggested that ,35 per cent, should be allowed on landed cost for clothing, hats, and footwear. The board had decided to adopt his figure, out as the minimum, except in regard to men's working boots,.in respect to which the present lower margin would be continued. The board had added household requirements to tho list, but had allowed more than 35 per cent, on some of the items. A schedule showing the new maximum prices for clothing, including hats, footwear, and household requirements, was appended to.the report, which added that it was hoped that the policy of fixing the prices of wage earners'commodities at a lower level than the prices of other lines would become general If the same profits as heretofore-were still to be made it must be by increasing the E a rno? fnxed? r g°OdS Whicll the board The new prices would operate from January. The schedule showed the maximum percentages which might be from 27* per cent, for workers' boots to 45 per cent., and covered 56 items which were enumerated. The schedule prescribed 45 per cent, in the case of 27 articles; 42* per. cent, in case of 40 per cent, in the case of 17----35^ per cent, in the case of four: and fjt per cent, m tho case of cue article. | - .