POST-WAR ECONOMY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25239, 31 May 1943, Page 3

POST-WAR ECONOMY

FEWER SMALL TRADERS LONDON, May 28. Informed opinion holds that widespread wartime “ telescoping ” of industry will have important peacetime consequences, because of the encouragement given to amalgamation into large and more efficient manufacturing and distributing units. The Australian Associated Press financial writer says the social aspects of such a development, as far as the future of the small trader is concerned, are not ignored, but there is, nevertheless, a growing feeling that distribution costs frequently have been too high in the past, and that by reducing these costs a higher reward for producers should become possible without raising the charges to consumers. The Food Ministry’s war-time control has led many to think along these lines where foodstuffs are concerned, even to envisage organisations like Unilever and Lovell Christmas to assume semi-public utility status in the post-war economic set-up.