NOT APPROVED

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 18, 21 July 1939, Page 10

NOT APPROVED

INCREASED PRICES

AUCKLAND LAUNDRY

CHARGES

TRIBUNAL'S FINDING

The Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) stated today that the Price Investigation Tribunal had submitted its report on the application of the Auckland Laundry Association for the approval of the tribunal to a general increase in their prices and that this report had been considered by the Government. The finding, of the tribunal, after a careful review of all the available evidence, is that a general increase in prices is not justified and that accordingly permission to increase prices cannot be approved.

The Minister stated that the association comprised fourteen laundries, the accounts of six of which were submitted to the tribunal in support of the application. In addition to the accounts and further information which had been provided, several witnesses came from Auckland to give oral evidence before the tribunal. The tribunal found difficulty in dealing with the application by the laundry trade in Auckland, in that the laundries concerned comprised one large unit and several small ones, and that the circumstances of the large concern are very different from those of the smaller ones. In consequence, it became necessary for the tribunal to investigate the position of the _ businesses concerned separately. It would be seen, therefore, that a most searching investigation had been made and that the tribunal has, in consequence, been able to obtain a most comprehensive picture of the industry as a whole.

NOT JUSTIFIED

"This position is such that the tribunal has, as already mentioned, come to the conclusion that a general increase in prices in the industry is not justified." said Mr. Sullivan, who added that it was, estimated that if the in-, [crease were given effect to, the increased cost to the Auckland public would be at least £10,000 per annum, and that, if after the increase had been given effect to, all laundries in Auckland laroughi- their prices into line with those of the members of the association, then the increased cost to the public would be substantially greater. The tribunal's finding must result in a substantial saving to the Auckland public. ■ I