PRICE FIXATION

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24251, 17 April 1942, Page 6

PRICE FIXATION

STEPS IN AUSTRALIA PREVENTING BLACK MARKETS GOVERNMENT DETERMINED CANBERRA, April 16 Regulations giving the Prices Commission blanket power to fix the maximum prices for all goods and services, except those specifically exempted, have been gazetted. The object of the new regulations is not only to widen and tighten up price control, but also to enable the Commission to prevent black markets from developing. The Prices Commission will follow the Government's action by gazetting an order determining the maximum prices for all goods and services exr cept those exempted. Goods exempted are those controlled by the Commonwealth, a State or an authority appointed by a State, livestock, poultry and perishable primary products, not already subject to price control. Services exempted are those supplied by the Commonwealth, a State or any local governing body, such as a municipality, life insurance policies written by any company, society or other body and the general hanking business. Although life insurance will not be subject to price control, all other forms of insurance will be. The Government already possesses wide powers enabling it to fix prices for general banking services. The Minister of Customs, Senator R. V. Keane, said that the new regulations had been rendered necessary by tho increasing shortage of goods and manpower and the development of black markets. "I am particularly concerned about the possibilities of the development of black markets," the Minister said, "and if necessary the Prices Regulations will be amended to deal effectively with that problem. The Government has no desire to interfere with normal trading practices that fall within the scope of the Prices Regulations, but it will ruthlessly stamp out the mean and ignoble practices associated with the emergency of black markets." GENERAL'S DEATH, HUGH S. JOHNSON PROMINENT AMERICAN ORecd. 5.35 p.m.) WASHINGTON. April 15 The death is announced of General Hugh Samuel Johnson. General Johnson, soldier and man of business, was a leading figure in his country's campaign to recover from trade depression. He was born at Fort Scott, Kansas, in August, 1882, and educated at the United States Military Academy. Later, he turned to tho study of law and took the doctor of laws degree at California University in 1916. He was one of the most colourful figures in America, and -formerly one of President Roosevelt's chief assistants as Administrator of the National Recovery Act. He was in turn quartermaster for refugees after the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, judge-advo-cate in the punitive expedition against Mexico in 1916, originator of the selective draft system on the entry of the United States into the last war, organiser of the Purchase. Storage, and Traffic Division of the General Staff, and business executive. He took charge of industrial reorganisation under tlie National Recovery Act in 1933. His dynamic and exuberant conduct of the Blue Eagle campaign at first went well bat later differences arose "between him and the Administration and his resignation in 1934 was at once accepted by Mr. Roosevelt. He became one of the most prominent newspaper and radio commentators in America, and was a severe critic of President Roosevelt's policy. In May last Mr. Roosevelt refused to reappoint him as BrigadierGeneral of the Army Service Corps. BOMBS OR BULL ANTS WYNDHAM MAN'S CHOICE SYDNEY, April 16 During a Japanese air raid over Wyndham some time ago, a local resident, Mr. Smithers, was faced with the alternative of bombs and bullets or bull ants. He electdd to face the enemy's death rain. Like many others he dived for cover into tall speargrass, which grows 14ft. around Wyndham, landing unwittingly on a bull ants' nest. "I felt as safe as any ostrich until I felt sharp, stabbing pains all over my limbs and buttocks, which caused the belief that I had been hit by tiny bomb fragments," Mr. Smithers said. "1 soon discovered the trouble and wriggled to other parts of the speargrass. but failed to shake the ants off. Finally, I made a break for new cover, even at the risk of bomb blasts and machine-gun bullets, which seemed to me preferable to the hell I was going through." FABRIC MOTOR TYRE AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT (Reed. 5.5 p.m.) DETROIT, April 15 Engineers of the Ford Company have, developed a new tyre composed chiefly pf a special fabric which requires only i-16th of the rubber normally used. Although experiments are still in the preliminary stage a company spokesman said that tests had proved tho tyre durable and capable of long wear. CUBA ARRESTS ALIENS (Reed. 5.5 p.m.) HAVANA, April 15 Fifty Germans, Japanese and Italians suspected of espionage were arrested in a nation-wide round-up in Cuba today. They included Fritz Koch, a captain in the German merchant marine, who established an insurance agency in Neuvitas in 1936. A number of sugar ships from Neuvitas have been sunk.