THE FISH DISPUTE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25964, 3 October 1945, Page 3

THE FISH DISPUTE

Sir,—Once again the fishmongers are threatening to close their shops. This striking or threatening to strike is very prevalent in many quarters of industry to-day. In an attempt to get to the bottom of the majority of our present-day disputes, one is always confronted with the same answer, “ the Price Tribunal." Before the era of this apparently incompetent body we had none of our present troubles, and the community as a whole was in a much more settled state than at present. Now the retailers of fish are bearing the brunt of the meddlings of the tribunal. Before 1935 one could buy groper at 4d and 6d a lb, but now we are lucky to get the same amount for 2s. The industry and the scapegoat " war ” cannot be blamed for our present lack of fish. The cause falls again on the Price Tribunal and indirectly on the vogue of Socialism. Free enterprise and competition are the only means by which the dispute can be corrected. From my limited knowledge the auction system seems to be the best alternative but of course the State is supreme, and we, the populace, are the poor innocents that bear the brunt of Socialist folly.—l am, etc., Dlja’s Son.