PROFITEERING CHARGES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16895, 17 November 1920, Page 4

PROFITEERING CHARGES.

SEVERAL WITHDRAWN. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 16. Nine charges of profiteering against threo local firms and one Lyttelton firm were called at the Magistrate’s Court to-day, before Mr. M'Carthy, S.M, Hie informant was the secretary of the Board of Trade, and the defendants were Aitcheson,,., Steans Co., general merchants, Christchurch; Benjamins, Ltd., merchants, Christchurch; Bernard Darby, trading as Wallace and Co.', chemists, Christchurch; and Forbes, Ltd., Lyttelton. Mr. A. T. Donnelly appeared for the informant'. The first charge against Aitcheson, Steans Co., was that they did sell 1000 Clarence cigarettes at a price of £3 2s 2d per thousand, which was unreasonably high, contrary to the Statute. Similar charges were laid in respect of Clarence cigarettes sold by the same firm.

Benjamins, Ltd., were charged with selling 1000 Clarence cigarettes at an .unreasonably high price of £3 2s 2d per thousand.

Tlie charge against Forbes, Ltd., was that they offered to sell rabbit traps at 37s per dozen, which was unreasonably; high. Darby was. charged with having sold half a gallon' of borol at a price unreasonably high, viz., £2 os. Mr. Donnelly said that as far as the charges against A itcht-son Steans, Benjamins, and Forbes were concerned it would be impossible to contend that an unreasonable profit had been made, taking the replacement cost into account. As liia Worship had decided in the alarm clock cases that the cost of replacement was to bo taken into account, and as this decision had been upheld by the Full Court, it would bo idle to proceed with the cases. In consequence counsel askclhthat these cases be withdrawn.

So far as the charge against Darby was concerned, however, counsel said it was on a different footing. It was proposed to go on with this case, and counsel asked for an adjournment. The application was granted, the remainder of the cases being withdrawn.