FIXATION OF PRICES

Otago Witness, Issue 4048, 13 October 1931, Page 71

FIXATION OF PRICES

BOYCOTTING SUGGESTED

PETITION FROM WEST COAST. WELLINGTON, October 7. The need for ensuring that the necessities of life are made available to the great bulk of the people of the Dominion at the lowest possible price is urged in a petition which was presented to the House this afternoon by Mr J. O’Brien (Westland), on behalf of 16 petitioners in Greymouth. The opinion was expressed that the time had arrived for urgent steps to be taken, so that the law of the land could be altered, to prevent the maintenance of prices at a level detrimental to the general purchaser. The petitioners suggested that it should be made an offence, punishable as such, for manufacturers, agents, packers, and grocers, whether wholesale or retail, to stipulate the reselling price for the sale of foodstuffs and household commodities and necessities, making it illegal—(1) to give any extra discount or bonus if the article is sold at a certain price. (2) to withhold a discount or bonus if the price of an article is cut, (3) to refuse supplies of any article to any retailer, (4) to attempt to get anj- retailer boycotted or to boycott any manufacturer’s goods, (5) to get or give rebates if an article is sold at a certain set price, and (6) for manufacturer to send goods to merchants on consignment and at the same time stipulate that they shall not supply- certain retailers.