RISING PRICES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23618, 30 March 1940, Page 15

RISING PRICES

Sir. —-There seems to be a rapidlygrowing tendency among retailers and chain stores to charge prices which amount to excess profits. About. month ago my wife went to procure replacements of schoolgirls' cotton socks which had been obtainable at 10$ d per pair. The firm's assistant said that the sizes required were quite unobtainable owing to import restrictions. A few days later the identical socks were displayed for sale at Is 3d per pair, an increase of 4id per pair. Last Saturday week my wife paid 2s lid for school stockings for our son. On the following Monday morning the same kind of stockings were on sale at .'3s 9d per pair, an increase of lOd per pair during the week-end closing period. Ladies' stockings which were recently obtainable at Is 6d per pair have now taken a miraculous jump in price to 2s 9d per pair, an increase of Is 3d per pair! On Tuesday, I inquired for a fryingpan of a certain size, the price being 2s 3d. I decided to have one, whereupon the assistant procured one from beneath the counter, which she handed to me for inspection, and I was surprised to see the price of Is lid marked upon it in red-painted figures. Upon inquiry, 1 was informed that prices had gone np and, although that particular article was marked is lid, I should have to pay the increased prico of 2s 3d for it. I refused to pay this latter price for it, and the assistant wanted it back, but 1 refused to give it up, and demanded to see the floor walker. The young lady left the counter, returning shortly afterwards with the remark that 1 could have the fry-ing-pan for Is lid. Is there not a competent authority to deal with this method of excess profiteering? If there is, what is it and where is it? Or perhaps the members of it are on leave for the duration I Failing the existence of such an authority, what about the formation of a Public Protection Association? Bristling.