FACTS ABOUT SUGAR SHORTAGE GIVEN BY MR NORDMEYER

Grey River Argus, 24 March 1949, Page 7

FACTS ABOUT SUGAR SHORTAGE GIVEN BY MR NORDMEYER

WELLINGTON, March 23. “The pathetic attempt on the part of the Chambers of-Commerce to absolve the merchants from responsibilities for the sugar shortage will deceive nobody,” said the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer. The verdict of the chambers on the blame attachable to the Government is about as weighty as that of a panel of butchers giving judgment on the merits of vegetarianism. No sophistry on the part of these latest champions of the merchants will alter these facts:— “That domestic sugar rationing was terminated last August. “That the office of sugar controller was abolished by Parliament in November. “That from the abolition of rationing in August the responsibility for distribution reverted to the wholesale and retail merchants. “That merchants now admit that they did not order sugar when they should. “That they excuse themselves, by claiming that by doing so they might have lost money. “That they had been informed in early September that their application for adjustments if prices fell would be sympathetically dealt with. “That they did not reply to the Minister’s letter. “That if they did not intend to order sugar they should have informed the Minister.

“That their failure to order sugar when it was available showed that they placed their private gain before the public interest.”