CEILINGS DENOUNCED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26485, 12 June 1947, Page 6

CEILINGS DENOUNCED

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES COMMERCIAL GARDENERS’ CONFERENCE PA WELLINGTON, June 11. Commercial gardeners from all parts of New Zealand, at their annual conference to-day, condemned the new price order for vegetables as one which gave an illusory rise in the wholesale ceiling prices by permitting substantial increases at periods when growers had little or nothing to harvest, and lowering the ceilings at periods when they were able to place more substantial quantities on the markets. They were also critical of the retail prices, stating that the ceilings or maximums were charged to the public even in times of gluts. The Price Tribunal was charged by one delegate with failing to enforce on retailers the prices it had fixed. Many delegates spoke strongly in favour of fully acquainting the public with the correct position and dispelling any impression that it was the man on the land who was getting the profit. The conference resolved that, in the interests of the consumer and of the industry, ceiling prices should be abolished, and that for perishable vegetables and soft fruits there should be a reversion to marketing based on free competition and the law of supply and demand.