BRITISH INDUSTRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26242, 28 August 1946, Page 6

BRITISH INDUSTRY

OPERATION OF CONTROLS INCREASED PRICES LIKELY The opinion that Britain was entering a period of industrial contr Is similar to that experienced by New Zealand in recent years and that goods from Britain would soon show an increase in price as a direct result was expressed to a Daily Times .reporter vesterdav by a Dunedin businessman who is in close touch with the export position in England. He predicted that many of the goods which at present were exempt from sales tax would not long show a decrease in price, as the difference would be taken up by increased costs in Britain. As an example, he quoted a recent application for an increase of 20 per cent, in the price of carpets by British manufacturers. There were many other indications of rising prices. “I recently saw a report of a speech made by Lord Woolton in June,” the businessman said. “ It read almost like a summary of the difficulties we have had to face in New Zealand in recent years, and yet it actually referred to what is happening in Britain to-day and what is likely to happen in the future. The people of New Zealand are vitally concerned with what is taking place in Britain for they are dependent on her for most of their imports.”