GIFT COUPONS

Evening Star, Issue 20846, 16 July 1931, Page 5

GIFT COUPONS

AN INDICTMENT [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, July 15. Reference to gift coupons in relation to tho sale of tea were made in the House to-night by Mr'Muons, in' tho course of the Address-in-lleply debate. Mr Munns said he had received a letter stating that tho writer had sent a sample of tea to a well-known Auckland firm of tea merchants, asking them to value it, and whether it would be profitable to have it packed cheaply enough to enable it to bo sold at 2s 3d lb. The reply, which contained an analysis of tho leaf and “ liquor,” indicated that tho testing firm could quote the same quality of tea from its present bulk stocks at Is 3d net per lb. Whether tho tea could be sold at 2s 3d, tho reply added, would depend entirely on the salesmanship of the vendor. Commenting on the reply, the writer of tho letter said he took it the cost of the tea would not be more than Is per lb, yet tho price charged was 2s 6d a lb, loss 15 per cent. Every packet contained an aikido, the value of which was 2s 4d a dozen, so it would bo observed that the article was well paid for by the public. Mr Lye: Is it a teaspoon tea ? Mr Munns: I am not saying what it is.

Still quoting from tho letter, Mr Munns said the writer pointed out that another tea handled by _ tho firm in question had coupons in it, as had also a lino of soap, and both commodities were loaded with tho price of the coupons. M'. Munns said he gathered from the tone of the letter that a small article was put in the packet of tea for which the public paid 2s "6d alb, and tho correspondence showed that the tea was not worth more than Is a lb.