PROFITEERS IN FRANCE

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14582, 3 February 1921, Page 7

PROFITEERS IN FRANCE

FINES AND IP/IPRISONMENT. SHORT SHRIFT FROM JUDGE. Speculators and profiteers are receiving short shrift when brought before Judge Richard in Paris (writes a French correspondent). He is sending so many plunderers to prison and fining them at the same lime that dealers of all kinds arc becoming anxious. Merchants nn,i manufacturers have met and passed a resolution protesting against what they call the “abuses” committed by Justice in Hie repression of speculation. Judge Richard is not likely to be influenced. “You say you arc selling at a loss.” lie told speculators in sugar. "Now you bought this sugar from the Y.M.C.A. and sold it to confectioners, who made sweets with it. If you like you ran speculate in silk stockings and jo**?is, which are not articles of prime necessity, lint not with sugar.” The judge informed speculators that indirectly they were the cause of Hie death of children, for infant mortality was increasing because there was no sugar in milk. In 1014 there was so much sugar that it was given to the cattle; to-day babies and old and sick people were deprived of it because it was too dear. One of the accused brought before the judge for speculation in rum was a negro. In 1015 lie was earning 7 francs a day by working on vessels at Marseilles, and paying 45 francs a month for a room. The idea occurred lo him, as it had occurred to thousands of oilier people, lo go into the food trade. By dealing in rum ho could do belter than as a labourer in | ships. The negro has done amazingly well. To-day lie pays 7000 francs a year for ids Hat, in which lie put. .Vi,ooo francs worth of furniture; lie, owns (wo motor-cars, keeps three servants, and lias a villa at Saint Gene- ' ieve. of which place he is Ihe Mayor* Paving got on so well by ids deals in 1 rum. the negro aspires to Parliarnenian honours, and is a candidate at the Senatorial elections at Guadeloupe, of which country lie is a native. He has made a profit of 45 per cent, on 15 casks of rum, and lie has been fined 5000 francs. Justice is not done with Hie negro. Next month he will have |o appear before the Court on a charge of concealing ids war profits.