MR. HORROCKS' STATEMENT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 109, 12 January 1940, Page 5

MR. HORROCKS' STATEMENT

PUBLIC ENQUIRY INVITED The following is a statement made iby Mr H. A. Horrocks last evening, in answer to the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan: — "I have read the com men ts of the Hon. D. G. Sullivan on my statement dealing with the impossibility of the Whakatane Paper

Mills carrying on prodxiction at the prices fixed by the Price Investigation Tribunal. "It is no doubt true that various •Government Officers have recommended against the increase in pri- • the company asked for. It is\.however eqxially true that I was not afforded any opportunity of reading or hearing any statements or recommendations made by such Government officers to the Tribunal. Neither was I afforded any right of cross examination with -out the test of which their evidence Is comparatively valueless. The right to apply such a test has been long I'ecognised in all British Courts .us essential in the establishment of the x-eal facts. It is indeed a part of natural justice in the administration of Courts. "Without such a test it is idle to found charges of "inefficiency," "excessively high salaries," and "partial production." "We should welcome now a public hearing before the Price Fixing Tribunal of our application for increased prices, with a right to crossexamine those Government officers and other witnesses if any who are opposed to the increases asked for. Desire For Public Hearing. "We recognise that the public interest must be fully protected. The public therefore is entitled to know -whether this new and very important industry is justified in its claims or whether such claims arc •groundless. A public enquiry by the 'Tribunal, in which the ordinary rules of Courts of Justice as to evidence were followed, would enable the public to learn the real facts. "It is our earnest wish to be fair not only to the company's shareholders but also to the public. As Mr Sullivan also, so emphatically desires to be fair, he will perhaps use „ his influence to obtain such a public hearing as I suggest. "Without being unduly prolix I should like to add -<1) That the Company's plant is working at full capacity. *{2) That no specific information of any "inefficiency" has been given to me. f(3) That even if no allowance at nil were made in costing for salaries, this could not reduce the price of the Company's products by more than £1 per ton. "It will be seen therefore that an order which substantially fell short of the company's requirements and ■will involve unprofitable operations compels cessation of production. "My company only asks for such fair treatment as it can jxistify in a publicly held Tribunal."