PRICE TRIBUNAL’S POLICY

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 October 1939, Page 2

PRICE TRIBUNAL’S POLICY

OUTLINE OF PROCEDURE [per press association.] WELLINGTON. October 17. The conditions under which the Price Investigation Tribunal will agree to price increases, were outlined by the President of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce (Captain Holm), in a statement to-day, based, he said, on information obtained as a result of inquiries made by the Chamber. In the terms of the Tribunal's policy, prices will be permitted to be raised above the levels ruling on September .1, by the amount of the actual increases in costs, but application for permission to increase prices must be made lo the Tribunal. Under the head of increased costs, such items as the increased costs of goods imported. increased freight, war risk insurance. actual interest incurred on deferred payments, actual ascertained variations in exchange, and interest costs on additional capital involved by reason of the increased price paid for the goods, and so on, will be allowed. A suitable form of application has been prepared and adopted by the Tribunal for use by traders in making application for permission to increase prices. Supplies of this form are available at the office of the Tribunal, and at offices of the Department of Industries and Commerce in Auckland. Christchurch, and Dunedin.

With a view to expediting the dealing with applications, and to avoid any delay in making decisions, additional facilities have been provided at the office of the Tribunal, and the .local offices of the Department. Applications made by traders in Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin may be addressed to the local officers of the Department in those centres. Those officers will make any necessary investigation or inquiry, and will then make a recommendation to the Tribunal. The utilisation of the district officers of lite Department in this way will greatly facilitate the handling of applications in those localities. Captain Holm said he had been "assured that rhe Tribunal vvas anxious al all times to obtain the assistance in this work of rite Chambers of Commerce. and similar commercial and trade organisations: also, the Tribunal desired, while carrying mil the mTccr of the regulations, io keep in mind rhe difficulties of traders, and to adminisred the regulations as smoothly as possible in this time of emergency.