Halt Called To Prices Of Second-Hand Cars

Chronicle (Levin), 20 May 1949, Page 2

Halt Called To Prices Of Second-Hand Cars

WELLINGTON, May 10. Second hand motor veliicles imported since 1947, shall not be sold from lomorrow at prices higher than tliose approved for the veliicles when nevv. This prohibition is imposed by a price order publislied in today 's Gazetted. The Price Tribunal issued a staloment in which it expressed the hope that this price order would efl'ectively curtail the present pactice of seliing | second hand cars of recent model, at prices greatly in excess of tliose approved for the saiiie models when nev.a The tribunal explained that the oi'd- r related to motor veliicles for which maximum prices had been autlioris d pursuant to the i>rice order of the special autliority given under section 16 of the Control of Prices Aet 1947. P) general its effeet would be conlined to vehicles since 1947. Even though a vehicle may have been altered or improved since its lirst sale, the second hand price must not exceed the new price. The second hand price was deemed to be the total money" pai-1 together with the fair market value or any vehicle traded in as part of the proposed price. The "i'air market value" of any vehicle traded in was defined as the value of the vehicle if sold on Ihe open market. The tribunal stated that if an; vendor did not know the authorised price of a vehicle when nevv, the onus was on him to ascertain it from tiie price control division.