CHAIN STORES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 261, 2 October 1936, Page 2

CHAIN STORES

INQUIRY CONTINUED. . MASTER GROCERS’ PROPOSALS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Oct. 1. The chain stores inquiry was resumed to-day, Mr J. Hodgens, M.P., presiding over the Parliamentary committee of inquiry. The chairman said tliat the committee had decided to confine its investigation in the main to the activities of chain and departmental stores as covered by the petition.

Evidence was given by D. J. Mouatt, manager of Foodstuffs, Ltd., who claimed that unfair discrimination was made by manufacturing and distributing concerns on many staple commodities. By refusing admission to their wholesale lists these firms placed traders, against whom the discrimination was made, at a serious disadvantage. He instanced the position .existing with regard to the Colonial Sugar Co., Ltd., Auckland, which he claimed afforded a glaring instance of unwarranted discrimination being made. His company could not purchase sugar from the Colonial Sugar Co., which supplied firms directly or indirectly interested in chain stores. J. E. Turnbull, president of the Wellington Master Grocers’ Association, submitted the following proposals: (1) That where departmental ,or bargain stores engage in the sale of any articles or lines coming within the scope of any trade or business which is governed by an award, they be compelled to apply throughout the whole of their stores the rate of wages and conditions of the award most beneficial to the employees; (2; that the manufacturer or producer of any articles or goods should be empowered to fix a reasonable retail price at which his goods must be sold. The hearing was adjourned till next Thursday.