PRICE TRIBUNAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24723, 27 September 1941, Page 8

PRICE TRIBUNAL

CRITICISM BY JUDGE EVASIVE TERMS OF LETTER (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Sept. 26. A letter from the Price Tribunal regarding the fixing of milk prices by the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council came in for criticism by Mr Justice Blair in the Supreme Court today. Mr J. B. Johnston, who appeared for the Milk Council, argued that the letter could be construed as nothing else but approval of the council’s price schedule. His Honor said it could be construed as nothing but side-stepping and refusing to face the issue. “ What are they dodging it for? ”he asked. “ I am sorry for the commercial public if that is the sort of answer they get from the Price Tribunal. I don’t know how they are going to know, where they are. The tribunal had better get a better office boy who can do something better than that, especially on such an important matter.” His Honor said the Price Tribunal had been asked to authorise the sale of milk at certain prices, and in its answer it had not even used the word “ authorise.” “T hope your Honor will not inflict the shortcomings of the tribunal on my head,” Mr Johnston said. “ I certainly will not,” his Honor said, “but your council, an important body, has a very serious grievance at the very casual way this matter has been attended to. I think it is neither courteous nor fair to the council.”