BOARD OF TRADE.

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17412, 26 May 1928, Page 9

BOARD OF TRADE.

LEGACY FROM WAR. AUTOCRATIC POWERS. (Taxpayer.) The Cost of Living Act, placed upon the Statute Book by the National Government in the second year of the Great War, was designed to protect the public from exploitation by soulless specuItators and greedy profiteers. . it involved the appointment of a Board of Trade clothed with wide powers of investigation and supervision, and required the board to report to the Government with suggestions and recommendations. On the whole the Act served its purpose fairly well. A year after the conclusion of the war, in 1919, the Board of Trade was placed upon a permanent basis with greatly extended functions, and it exercised these functions until 1923, when it was superseded by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, representing the Government, with practically unbridled authority. Under the amended Act, which remains on the Statute Book, the Minister, fortified by the compelling power of the GovernorGeneral in Cabinet, may make such provision as he may deem necessary in the public interests for the following purposes: — (a) For the prevention or suppression of methods of competition, trading, or business which are considered to be unfair or prejudicial to the industries of New Zealand or to the public welfare, (b) For the prevention or suppression of monopolies and combinations in or in relation to any industry which is considered to be prejudicial to that or any other industry in New Zealand or to Ihe public welfare, (c) For the establishment of llxed or maximum or minimum prices or rates for any classes of poods or services, or otherwise for the regulation or control of such prices or rates, (d) For the prohibition, regulation, or control of differential prices or rates for goods or services, or the differential treatment of different persons or classes of persons in respect of goods or services in cases where the existence of such differential prices, rates, or treatment is considered prejudicial to any industry in New Zealand or to the public welfare, (e) For the regulation and control of industries in tiny other manner whatever which is deemed necessary for the maintenance and properity of those industries and the economic welfare of New Zealand. Travesty of Fair Play. Any provision made under any of these regulations comes into force immediately it is gazetted. If Parliament is in session at the time the provision must be submitted to both Houses within li days of its gazetting, and if a majority of each House disapproves of the provision it must bo forthwith rescinded, if Parliament is not in session at the lime, the provision musi, be submitted to both Houses within li days of the opening of the succeeding session, under similar conditions. This means that if Parliament is in session when any such provision is gazetted, li days may elapse before the two Houses will have an opportunity to I

arrest its operation, and that if Parliament is not in session eight months eleven more may elapse before the people's representatives have a voice in the matter. This, in itself, is a flagrant departure from democratic government which should not have been tolerated for a week after the disappearance of war conditions. But the Government has held the emergency powers for nearly 10 years after the conclusion of the war, and for fully seven years after any plausible excuse could be found for their retention. It still arbitrarily may fix wages and prices, may suppress any industry which it considers prejudicial

to any other industry, may assume control of any private enterprise that catches its fancy an.! may ruin any individual that may obstruct the path of its ambition. At the present Legal Conference at Christchurch, Mr A. P. Wright made all this piain to his professional brethren, and the newspapers have endorsed and emphasised his Words. But it is the politicians, particularly members of Parliament, that should be moving in this matter. While they remain silent in the presence of such a glaring travesty of British fair play they must share with the Government the blame for the continuance of this outrage upon the Dominion's good name.