PROFITEERING PUZZLES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14008, 12 March 1920, Page 1

PROFITEERING PUZZLES.

THE PREMIER QUESTIONED. . By Telegraph. (Special to the Oamaru Mail.) WELLINGTON, March 11. Wellington's anti-profitering committee is enjoying an experience similar to that of the wearied house-hunters, for it cannot commence business until it has an office, which it has not yet found. Meanwhile its membere see evidence in the press that their invitation to the people to become public informers is not likely to be accepted, even under extreme circumstances of victimisation, and few private individuals can collect convincing evidence of profiteering. Fish has become dearer during the last, few months, but, singularly enough, one of the reasons why the employers at the municipal destructor demand increased wage is their unpleasant duty of having to destroy tons of putrid fish. Here may be_ a method of extorting high prices which a private persons would find it hard to prove. In view of this difficulty your correspondent asked the Prime Minister and the Board of Trade whether official assistance would be given to prove suspected cases of profitering. Mr Massey replied that the procedure will be that anv complaint will be considered by a tribunal, and if there is a prima facie case it will be handed to the Crown Prosecutor with instructions to go ahead. The officers of the Labor Department will render assistance to collect evidence. "We want the public-to understand that we are going to profiteering." added Mr Massey. "We want to know all about it and the people responsible- must take the consequence. Some of the profiteering seems to occur before goods are landed? by reason of the high prices imposed by exporters that we cannot touch." A suggestion has been made to Ma'sey that, as it is understood that the agents of the cotton combine had a. six. months' supply in New "Zealand when the recent' rise was announced, their stock should be ascertained and a price limit- imposed.