THE PROFITEERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 43, 14 November 1919, Page 7

THE PROFITEERS

FOUR CENTURIES AGO

HOW THEY WERE DEALT WITH Profiteer'-? is not un evil peculiar to the presfi. day or generation. A volume of anuiejit statutes in the possession cf .the Crown Law Office shown (that it had trouble demanding logielative interference <n?arly four centuries ago. It was. the subject of an Act of Parliament approved by King Edward VI in 1548, and put into operation in the years that followed. An interesting feature of the old law is that it classed together the merchants wfeo conspired to raise prices unreasonably and the workers who planned to "go slow" on the job. The penalties were the same for the two offences, and included pillorying and the cutting : off of ears. The text of the important clauses of the Act was as follows:—

"Forasmuch as of late divers sellers of victuals, not content with moderate and reasonable gain, bull minding* to havo and to take for their victuals so much as list them, have conspired and oovenanted together to sell their victuals at ■unreasonable prices: And likewise artificers, handicraftsmen r.nd lobourere have made confederacies and promises, and have eworn mutual oaths not only that they should not meddle one with another's work and perform and finish that which another ihaMi begun, but also to constitute and appoint how much work they shall do in a day, and what hours and times they elw.ll work, contrary to the laws and statiut.-s of this Realm, and to the great hurt and impoverishment of the lung's Majesty's subjects: "For reformation thereof it-is ordained and cnaclied . . . thc.t if any butchers, brewers, bakers, poulterers cooks, costermongers or fruiterers shall at ariy time from and after flip fiwt day of March nest coming, conspire, covenant; promise or make any oajins that they shall not ecll their victuals' but at certain prices; or if any artificers, workmen, or labourers do conspire, covenant or promise together, or make any oaths that they sha.ll not make or do their work but at a certain price or rate, or shall not enterprise or take upon them to finish thai another hath, begun,, or shall do but a. certain work in a day, or shall not work but at'certain hours or times;

"Thai then every person so conspiring, covenanting, swearing, or offending, being lawfully convicted thereof . . . shall forfeit for the first cflenco ten pounds to tho King's Highness .... or elso shall suffer for the same offence twenty daye' imjrcisonuient and slmll only havo bread and water for his sustenance." The penalty for a second offence was to be a fine of £30 or a term in the pElory; while for the third offence a man would be fined £A&, "or elso shall sit on the pillory and lose one of his ws and also shall at nil times after that bo taken as a man infamous, and his eaying, deposition, and oath not to be credited at any time in any matter of judgment." The Act proceeds to provide for the wmpuleory dissolution of offending orgamtiationa of merchants and letailera. The clause roads: . "And if it fortune any such conspic»cy, covenant, or promise to bo had and made by any society, brotherhood, ■' or company of any craft, mystery or occu. patioa of the victuallers above, with \hn presence or consent of the more part oT them, that then immediately upon •uch not of conspiracy, covenant, or promise had or made, over and beetles tho particular punishment appointed for the oftendor, their corporation shall be. dissolved to all intents, purposes, und couetmctions." . . .. '.fheso drastic provisions were to be fldministered by any justice or. magistrate, and it docs not appear that there was any right of appeal. It s'hoirM be noted tTut the pound sterling had much higher value 370 years ago than it has to-day. The fines mentioned in tho Act were very severe.

The last monthly meeting of tho Cercle Franoaia was presided over by Cnptain Barclay. Tho following excellent programme, for which Misses Hind nnd M&ad were responsible, was thoroughly enjoyed: Reading by Miss Wilson; recitation by Miss Mary Cooky: (a) "Jacques le Macon," (b) (In response to an encore) '7ve Rotour dans la Patrie"; reading of Scene I from "Les Preciouses Ridicules" —tho part of Madelon was taken by Miss Van Staveren, Cathos by Miss Wilson, and Mascarille by Mr. Spencer; dialogue, by Misses Hind and Mead. Commenting on tho increase in the value of woollen companies' shares, a correspondent recently slated that the Bruco Woollen ComjjKiiy'a shares in 1!)H were about tO.-f. each. This ivo nre informed is incorrect. In 1914 all trunsfora were at the rate of 20*. or over.