POTATO PRICES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24817, 17 January 1942, Page 8

POTATO PRICES

THE RECENT RESTRICTIONS OFFENDERS TO BE PROSECUTED (P.A. WELLINGTON, Jan. 16. The Price Investigation Tribunal is understood to be collating all the evidence obtainable with a view to instituting prosecutions against growers, wholesalers and retailers who have offended under the terms of the recent regulations fixing the price of potatoes. The checking of potato prices was continued by the Tribunal Inspectors throughout the Dominion to-day. The Minister of Marketing, Mr J. G. Barclay, it is reported, made a personal round of some Wellington shops one night this week and ascertained for himself the prices that were being charged for potatoes. The prices, it is stated, should not exceed 3§d per lb in ordinary circumstances, though the prices have varied according to what the retailers paid for their vegetables. It is expected that a second pricefixing order to be issued will be more effective than the last one, having regard to the peculiar features involved in the marketing of potatoes. It has been found that there are many anomalies which require to be cleared up to make price control watertight, and that there are very many more factors comolicating the position than was at first evident.

Yesterday the prices of first grade potatoes in Wellington shops ranged from 3Jd to sd, some vendors explaining that th*’" had had to pp'' 3£d for rationed lots on the market. A few lots available on one auctioneer's floor brought 2id per lb for top quality, but they were few indeed. Meanwhile a report on its activities has been forwarded by the Price Tribunal to the Minister of Marketing, who is likely to release a statement to the press either to-morrow or early next next week covering the situation which has arisen.