SALE OF VEGETABLES

Timaru Herald, Volume CL, Issue 22124, 19 November 1941, Page 4

SALE OF VEGETABLES

Suggestions By Retailers

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 18. The abolition of the auction system of selling vegetables and fruit, and the institution of a price fixing scheme with direct deliveries to retailers were among the recommendations made to the Price Tribunal to-day by Auckland retailers as a means of correcting the present position in regard to vegetable prices. They also suggested the licensing of all retail shops and the closing of all alien and Asiatic shops which have opened since the war except in cases where they were shown to be economic. It was also urged that merchant auctioneers should not bid at their own auctions, should not finance shops or grant extended credits; that all transactions should be on a cash basis or on a weekly account and that rents of shops and market gardens should be stabilised. Mr S. Coleman, on behalf of Auckland retailers, submitted comparative prices for vegetables in Auckland between November 16, 1938 and November 15, 1941, showing an overall rise of 162 per cent. He also gave similar figures for November 2 of last year and November 1 this year, showing that on 16 lines there was an average increase in price of 180 per cent.