DRESSMAKER FINED FOR OVERCHARGING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22669, 21 June 1948, Page 6

DRESSMAKER FINED

FOR OVERCHARGING

“Whatever the value of the designs for dresses sold, it does not affect the question as to whether defendant committed a breach of the regulations,” said Mr. J. Morling, S.M., in Auckland, when convicting Flora Mackenzie, designer and dressmaker, for a breach of the Control of Prices Act. The defendant denied the charge of charging rates not in conformity with the special approved rates for making dresses.

Giving his decision, the magistrate said that the defendant was alleged to have sold three dresses at prices above that allowed by the Price Tribunal, the total overchage being £lO 15s Id. In evidence, defendant had said that she was an expert designer and that each design was exclusive. He did not propose to criticise the value of the designs which the defendant estimated to be £lO each, but the value of any preliminary work, including designing, was beside the point, said Mr. Morling. If persons engaged in the dressmaking business were allowed to put some arbitrary sum on to the price allowed by the tribunal it would render the regulations futile.

The magistrate added that the offence could not be treated as trifling, as the overcharge was substantial for each dress. He fined defendant £lO.