PRICES AND RENTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 28 January 1939, Page 8

PRICES AND RENTS

PRIME MINISTER’S WARNING AGAINST EXPLOITATION Action against anyone who exploits others by making excessive profits either from selling articles or letting shops, flats, or houses was suggested by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hor. M. J. Savage on Thursday. No one would be allowed a free hand to get more than a fair share of the country’s production, he said. Mr Savage said that not only must the Government prevent the man sell* ing boots and shoes, for instance, froiti increasing his prices without justification, but, to be consistent, it must see to it, that the man was not exploited by the landlord. “We can’t allow the landlord a free hand to exploit the seller of boots and siloes while the seller of boots and shoes is prevented from passing on increases to the public,” he said. “The prevention of exploitation has got to be applied right through from the rent of the shop to the sale of the commo* dities. “We don’t want to prevent anybody from getting a fair return from his business, but no section of the community will be allowed to exploit the rest of the community by taking advantage of a sheltered position and because of a shortage of supplies. “The Government will be bound to consider seriously the prevention of exploitation in all forms of buildings, including houses and flats for letting purposes. If the owner of a flat, a house, or a shop gets more than his j fair share of New Zealand's produc- j tion* other sections of the community, must get less.”