PRICE STABILISATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24833, 5 February 1942, Page 6

PRICE STABILISATION

1 BREACH NOMINAL PimtT IMPOSED (PA.) CHRE&CHbftCH, Feb.. 4. : Wwßp i a-ijrosecutioh was rbrbugnt against ■ Whitcombe and Tombs in Christchurch. to-day for breaches of the Prices Stabilisation Emergency Regulations, 1939, the magistrate, Mr E. C. Levvey, took the view that as penalties were imposed on the Arm in Wellington and Dunedin he would not add to them except nominally. The firm was fined 20s and costs on each of the three charges of selling stationery at unauthorised prices in July last. , "-i A Counsel for the defence alleged that the firm had been selected for prosecution by the Price .Tribunal becjacusevof the size of its business;-and toiteach the stationery trade; a lesson. Cdurjfelvaflded, that the Charges tWere apportioned among the, four branches company ;;}n;the' foiir main centres;and were'jbrpught.-as if four separate offehcw. had been committed. > The mcr€ase in the price of that applied to all -branches and came from the: head! officer The case had been publicised"throughout New, Zealand aM"-vthe : average - undiscriminating jmfcn. would take the "present-charges that the^rhi'was being prosecuted again for a further offence. That was not so. •' "The company is a single entity. Why separate prosecutions?" asked the magistrate.' - ; '•„■. The Crown prosecutor, Mr A. T. Donnelly,, replied that every time a sale had been made it .constituted a separate offence; The investigations had been made separately -in each centre. : : ":..■', ":"'' ■ ." . ■ ■ , "The sales were all prior to the first prosecution. It seems' rather like pressing it. In view of the general circumstances I do-not. intend, to add to the penalties except nominally.' added the magistrate.