CONSUMERS’ COMMITTEE

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 October 1944, Page 3

CONSUMERS’ COMMITTEE

PRICE CONTROL DISCUSSED

Convened by the West Coast Trades Council, a meeting of representatives from women’s organisations was held to discuss the setting up of a Consumers’ Price Control Committee to cover Greymouth and district. The following delegates were present: — Mesdames W. Green and Johnson, Greymouth Women’s Institute; R. Rawcliffe and R. Mitchell, Greymouth Housewives’ Union; J. Reedy and G. Comport, Kurnara Women’s Institute; R. Wright and M. Airns, Runanga CoOp. Women’s Guild; W. Herring and E. Groom, Elaketown Women’s In-, stitule; R. Barker and A. Pattinson, Runanga Women’s Institute; Misses N. Moffatt and M. E. Schwebe, National Council of Women. Messrs J. Doyle and T. Pratt represented the Trades Council.

Mr. J. Doyle welcomed the delegates and expressed pleasure at the good attendance —despite the inclement weather —which demonstrated the interest being taken in the measures proposed by the Trades Council to give greater protection to the consumers against, overcharging. The .Secretary of the Trades Council, Mr. Pratt, stated that the Council’had always taken a keen interest in the operations of the Price Tribunal in seeking to protect consumers against exploitation and profiteering by unscrupulous traders who were not above taking advantage of war time conditions. There was no suggestion that all traders were profiteerin'* whenever the opportunity offered; nor was it intended that the Consumers Price Control Committee, which the Tracies Council proposed to establish to operate throughout Westland, should be used to harass retailers and others who were honestly trying to trade within the Price Control Regulations. But it was believed that deliberate overcharging for goods and services did occur, and the proposed committee would cooperate with the officers of the Price Tribunal to see that the offenders were dealt with under the Price Control Regulations. , . . Delegates will report back to their organisations and each organisation will decide whether it desires representation on the Consumers Price Control Committee.