INCREASED PRICE OF BEER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 21 August 1939, Page 4

INCREASED PRICE OF BEER

PROCEDURE EXIT AI NED TRIBUNAL INQUIRY limited Press Association] WELLINGTON. 19th August. Ministerial intervention is not needed because the retail price of beer lias been raised by the licensed victuallers, the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) stated when the controversy over the subject was brought to his notice. When prices were increased, he said, the increase must be notified and an investigation followed automatically. The Minister’s attention was called to the fact that in the original announcement regarding the Price Tribunal, the list of commodities to be covered by its operations included alcoholic beverages. The Minister explained the requirement of the law was

that it' the price of a commodity was raised this had to bo notified to the authorities. It was then the duty of the tribunal to consider whether the increase could be justified, and in im- , portant cases it would hold a judicial inquiry, when it had the right to call ! the interested parties and ascertain the I relevant facts including costs, and sub-' mit witnesses to cross-examination re- ; garding the whole position. “There have been numerous cases,” j added Mr Sullivan, “where prices have' been reduced following the examina--1 tiorr of the position by the Price TrL- 1 bunal. and I have no doubt it will fol- ; low the normal procedure which 1 have I I indicated in connection with this' | matter.” | GREYMOITII DECISION GREYMOUTH. 18th August. No increase in the price of beer has 1 been made by Greymouth licensed vie- i | tuallcrs, but a largely-attended meeting j decided to reduce by several ounces the ; size of the larger glasses now used, i Licensees are continuing the discretion- j

ary practice of ••shouting.*’ No increase lias been made meantime in the retail price of bottled beer. Breweries advised the meeting that they could not and would not cai*rv any portion of the increased duty. WORKERS' BOYCOTT OF HOTELS j AD V F.RSELY AFFECTING I’ATRONAGfc EXPERIENCE IN WELLINGTON j WELLINGTON, 19th August. i The rise in the price of beer and the j abolition of house shouting, together! with the boycott of hotels by sections of! organised workers, is apparently ad- ! vcrsely a/Tecting patronage. It was; quite noticeable last night. Friday being! usually a good night. In one bar tic clientele were mostly members of the white collar brigade. One of the barmen drawn into one of many discussions going on said he did not think the' announcement of the outbreak of war would have caused more j discussion in the bars on Tuesday when j

it became known that beer was to be dearer and shouting was to go. “The announcement burst like a bombshell" he said.