TOBACCO HOLD-UP

Grey River Argus, 7 May 1942, Page 5

TOBACCO HOLD-UP

P.A. INATERCARGILL, Mav 6. Stocks are low in the tobacconists’ shops in Invercargill at present. There are plenty of cigarettes and tobacco in the city, but since the new duties of 5d per ounce on tobacco and 2d per 'packet on cigarettes were imposed, wholesalers have refused to invoice the supplies they have sent to the retailers. The result is that the -retailers do not know what prices to charge. A wholesale merchant said that this hold up of supplies to retailers was due to the fact that the merchants were waiting for the Price Tribunal to announce the new prices that were to be charged. Until they knew the new prices, they could not give the retailers invoices.

“The position is ridiculous. It is the worst mix-up I have known in all my vears in business,” one retailer ’said. “I do not know who is to blame, but I understand that there are stocks of tobacco and cigarettes in Invercargill which were cleared from bond before the end of last month, and that these should be sold at the old prices. However, the wholesalers refuse to give us invoices, and so we cannot put the goods on our shelves.”

New Prices TO BE CHARGED ON MONDAY. WELLINGTON, May 6. It can be assumed that the majority of old priced stocks of tobacco in the retailers hands will be sold by Monday next (May 11), and, with a view to facilitating the tesumption of orderly trading at the earliest posisble date, the Price Tribunal has ruled that ail retail vendors of tobacco and cigarettes will be able to charge prices at the Highest rate, as per new authorisations issued to the tobacco manufacturers, as from and including the date named, Monday next, May 11.