RETAILERS DISSATISFIED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25866, 9 June 1945, Page 8

RETAILERS DISSATISFIED

PRICE OF KNITTING WOOLS PREVIOUS DECISION CANCELLED Dissatisfaction with the Price Tribunal’s action in regard to the price of knitting wools was reflected in the decision of local retailers at a recent meeting not to release their stocks pending some clarification of the present position. The secretary of the Otago Retailers’ Association (Mr H. D. Tennent) in a statement to a Daily Times reporter yesterday, said that the wholesale price of knitting wools had been advanced by manufacturers throughout New Zealand in order to cover the increase in wages they were paying to their employees. The Price Tribunal had advised that the retailers would have to absorb this amount without making any increase in the retail price. “ The retailers naturally felt that they should not be asked to bear the wage increase for the manufacturers,” said Mr Tennent. They were liable for the wage increase themselves from April 1, and in view of that fact they had decided not to release wool for sale until the position was clarified. "It can now be stated," said Mr Tennent, “ that at a further meeting of retailers it was decided, in.view of the fact that wool is on the cost-of-living index, that it would be released and sold at the old price.” Mr Tennent added that the stocks which had come to hand this week had been held for only a day or two before the decision was made to release them.