PROTEST AGAINST NEW REGULATIONS

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3492, 30 October 1926, Page 10

PROTEST AGAINST NEW REGULATIONS

Under Weights and Measures Act

WELL HAVE FAR-REACHING

EFFECT

A meeting- of delegates representing the trades and industries was held in Palmerston North yesterday, for the purpose of considering the proposed regulations under the Weights and Measures Act, 1925, which will come into force on January 1, 1927. The regulations have been issued tentatively, to enable any persons concerned to submit for consideration any representations that they may wish as to why they should not be gazetted. Far-Keaclting Effects. Mr. W. McKenzie, secretary of the Manawatu Employers’ Association, explained that the proposed regulations were very far-reaching. He Instanced the case of one company which would have to scrap all its labels, tins and the greater portion of its plant to, comply with the regulations. This loss would be about £SOOO and the inevitable result would be that this loss would be thrown back upon the consumer and increase the cost of liv-

ingr. • Mr. W. Signal (Foxton) stated chat the regulations were also very farreaching as far as the llax industry was concerned.

Questioned by Mr. McKenzie as to whether the flaxmillcrs had any repicsentations to make, Mr. H. Berry suggested that the Flaxmillers’ Association should take the matter up. Hme was an important factor, however, and he doubted if representations could be made by November 1. Mr. McKenzie stated that the Employers’ Federation had asked for an extension of that date. It was thought better that united protest should be made.

Increasing Cost of Livings

Mr. A. P. Stuart mentioned that the flourmillers had been working under the new regulations for the last 6 months. All that had happened was that the storekeepers had been charged extra. Mr. McKenzie: That is just it. That is how the cost of living goes up. It is no use just sitting down and passing it on. A protest should be made to the Government. Mr. Stuart explained that the only difference was that the storekeepers were charged net weight instead of gross, as in the past. The same regulations were in existence in Australia, where there was a Labour Government. (Laughter.) Mr. H. Berry (Foxton) alleged that there was a discrepancy between the weights of the railway weighingbridges and those conducted outside the Department. He even went so far to state that the various Departmental weigh-bridges themselves showed considerable discrepancies. The regulations, to be fair, should be made to apply to the Goverment machines as well.

Mr. Stuart also mentioned that a string of wagons was weighed without each truck being uncoupled on the machine (laughter.) Now the weighbridges had a notice stuck up intimating that the Department would not be responsible for difference in weights between buyer and seller. The grain merchants had been urging the Department for a long time to give a standard weight, but it would not do so. The small storekeepers would suffer most under the proposed regulations. as all their sales would have to be marked with the net weight. Storckepecrs’ Viewpoint. Mr. F. Holland mentioned that if a half-pound of butter was sold over the counter it would have to be wrapped in a paper with half pound stamped on it. The grocer would thus have i to have at hand an unending supply I of wrappers with different weights! marked thereon. That would send up i the cost of goods straight away. Why all that bother when the customer already had a remedy against a store-, keeper if he sold short weight? Will Put Coal Up."' I Mr. P. H. Thomas stated that the' effect upon the coal dealers would be 40 per cent, more handling aud' 20 par cent, additional cost. The 1 public could not stand this increase. The proposed regulations set out that no person could sell coal in any Quantity in other than 141 b., 281 b., 501 b., lewt., and llcwt. lots net weight. This was perhaps alright in Wellington, where employees had to carry coal uphill during delivery operations, but In Palmerston North, it was ridiculous. Coal at present was bagged at the trucks, each bag weighing 1871bs. not which gave 12 to the ton. It would be unsuitable to bag in 1J cwt. lots as in that case division into i ton and i ton lots would be impossible without splitting a bag. The only reasonable weight left for bags of coal was thus lewt. lots, which would mean that in delivery from lorry to housebin, 20 trips would have to be made Instead of twelve—a 40 per cent increase in labour. The Coal Dealers' Association was making strong representations on the subject. Mr. McKenzie asked that all the different business associations in Palmerston North frame their representations as soon as they could. Meanwhile, he would press for an extension of the time for receiving these. Mr. Thomas also mentioned that in purchasing wood this could only be done by measurement and not value. That meant no one could ring and ask say for £1 worth of wood, but must order a stated measurement —a cord, half cord, or fraction thereof. It would thus be illegal to sell 2s worth of wood to some of the poorer people, who would bo in a quandary as to what fraction of a cord they would have to order. The dealer would also bo in a quandary as to what measurement 2s worth repre-

sented. There would be a lot of unnecessary (rouble. Pertinent tpieslions. "What is at the bottom of it all,” asked a delegate. "Is the Governments trying to create soft jobs for someone.” Mr. Berry: XL would bo interesting to know who lias all these brainwaves, Mr. McKenzie stated that the country was being governed by Regulations and Orders-in-Council. The Chamber of Commerce had protested again and again at this form of Government, and it was time it was stopped. The meeting (hen dispersed, delegates promising fo forward representations as soon as possible.