PRICE INVESTIGATION

Marlborough Express, Volume LIV, Issue 129, 3 June 1920, Page 6

PRICE INVESTIGATION

"VVORK OF TRIBUNALS.

"PRIME MW^XMR'SOPiINION OK

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE

Tho : Prim©-Minister has issued a statement. , tcfticlujig on the work of the Board of Trade;

Mr Massey stated that ttu'ough its, control a very effective check bad been imposed upon the prices of essential lines, such as wheat, dour, bread, ( sugai^ meat, b.utter, milk, groceries, benzino, cement, and timber. The boaa-d had in band two ■very important investigations dealing with tha prices of woollen goods and clothing and ; with, the prices of leather manufactured goods. Undoubtedly, thousands of pounds had been sa.wdi to the consumers of New Zealand by the work of the Board of Trade. Its activities during recent months had had to be extended owing to tho extreme-, shortage of supplies of commodities of primary importance, such as timber, sugar, cement, and benzine. The demands foa* these goods had during the past, twelve months., been quite unprecedented, end the baard had to exercise strict control over distribution so as to conserve the"needs of■ essential users.

Dealing with, the work c'f the Price Investigation Tribunals', he stated that a recent report received fro:a the Board of Trade .showed that the tribunals had ' received and co-alt with. ,a very /large number of comnlaints, covering-: "a • wide range of articles . The Auckland tribunal 'had adiusjted bread prices in nearly all of tho small toiwns in the Auckland province on tile lilies; agreed to by tho Government, and had made special investigations covering' a large nu nber of essential commodities in general use.. Several cases of profiteering were to be brought .before the courts.in Auckland shortly. COURT, ACTIONS PENDING.

The Wellington trib\mal was >nak- I ing important suggestions to . the | parent board regarding the charges •for cartages and freight^ and for the protection ofr the public in connection with the proper marking of' goods as•■'to the weights and contents "of iJacfcages,"etc.'.': : . M/cch' valuable work had been performed, in his opinion, by the Christ- . church':. tribunal,, which " appeared to be very active in the woak the GoveiTiment had! asked it to undertake, two, interesting cases, were to come before; the court shortly in which leading 'counsel of the Dominion would be engaged. The Prime Minister said that some criticism had been aimed at the Board of Tirade because of the olW?f cases taken, but very important principles were involved in ' these1 cases, and it was the desire of the Government to ;; en foixo the profiteering sections of the Board of Trade Act irrespective gif the class of goods dealt with, and he was sure that he had the public behind him when he said that if consumers were; charged unreasonably high prices they should bo given every opportunity of ventilating their grievances, even although it was not strictly a bread and btitter line. ; The Dunediin. tribunal had conducted important investigations ever ■; a very wide range of furniture, milk, ! coal, oatmeal/ clothing,, groceries, vschool books; charges made for plumbing services,/ and an inquiry, into an allegafecn of hciU'ding 6f flour. . ;> Mi IMPORTANT PUBLIC SER: V■; \;£Yi<m.. ■•. ■■ ..■-. , Mr Mapsey stated that he con r sidiered the'whole of the, tribunals had porformeci an important public service, and their future, success was assured if the co-operation of all sections of the cdimmunity was given, Mr Massey urged that complaints should be placed before the tribunals, which, whilef: protecting: the complainaats, ,would; see that they received the full benefit of the legislation; recently v passed. • Tho .upward tendency' in the index number was largely due to the in-, creased prices of imported goods, the basic price.-of-which1 the Government; could not it being possible merely to ensured that, the pipfits made'by meVchante in I^ew Zealand ion-chess imported goods \vas fair .and reasonable. ' The /'pauses \<>f the ,in-; creased cost 6f fuel arid lighting wore •vell-kno.vh to /^the general piVb r ■ lie. and he was {hopeful that\as a result of the rece\it agreement coriie to with the miners that the productio n .vould so increas© ais to steady prices and enable householders to be treated more generously as regards supplies.