FAIR PROFITS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 207, 27 May 1920, Page 6

FAIR PROFITS

WORK OF BOARD OF TRADE

STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER • A statement about tho operation of tho Board of Trade in its endeavour to keep down the cost of living by keeping a watch that no undue profits were charged by traders was made by tho president of the board (Mr. Massey) last evening. Mr. Massoy said that through the board's control a very effective check had been imposed upon tho prices of essential lines, such as wheat, flour, bread, sugar, meat, butter, milk, groceries, benzine, cement, and limber. The board had in hand two very important investigations dealing with tho prices of woollen goods and clothing, and with the prices of leather manufactured goods. Undoubtedly thousands of pounds had been saved to "the consumers of New Zealand by the work of tho Board of Trade. Its. activities during recent months had had to bo extended owing to the extreme shortago of supplies of commodities of primary importance, such as timber, sugar, cement, and benzino. The demands for those goods had during the past twelve months been quite unprecedented, and the hoard had to exercise strict control over distribution so as to conserve the needs of essential users.

Dealing with the work of the price investigation tribunals, the Primo Minister stated that a recent report received from tho Board of Trade showed that the tribunals had received and dealt with a very large number of complaints covering a wide range of articles. Tho Auckland tribunal luad adjusted bread prices in nearly all of the small towns in the Auckland province on tho lines agreed to by the Government, and had made special investigations covering a largo number of essential commodities in general use. Several cases for profiteering wero to he brought before tho Courts in Auckland shortly. The Wellington tribunal was making important suggestions to the parent board regarding the charges for cartages and freights, and for the protection of tho "public in connection with the proper marking of goods as to the weights and contents of packages, etc. Much valuable work bad been performed, in the Primo Minister's opinion, by the Christohurch tribunal, which appeared to be very active in the work the Government had asked it to undertake. Two interesting cases wero to come before the Courts shortly, in which kuding counsel of. the Dominion would be engaged. Tho Prime Minister said that some criticism had been aimed at tho Beard of Trade because of tho class of cases taken, but very important principles wore involved in these cases, ana it was tho desire of the Government to enforce the profiteering sections of tho Board of Trade Act irrespective of the class of gcods dealt with, and he was sure that he had tho public behind him when he said that if consumers were oharged unreasonably high" prices they should be given every opportunity of ventilating their grievances, even although it was not strictly a bread and butter line. Tho Dunedin tribunal had conducted important investigations over a very wide range of goods, including the prices of furniture, milk, coal, oatmeal, clothing, groceries, school books, charges made for plumbing services, and an inquiry into an allegation of hoarding of flour. The Prime Minister stated that he 'considered the whole of the tribunals had performed an important public service, and their future success was_ assured if the co-operation, of all sections of the community was given. Mr. Massey urged that complaints should 1)0 placed before the tribunals, which, while protecting the complainants, would see that thev received the full benefit of tho legislation recently passed. _ The upward tendency in the index number was largely due to the increased prices of imported goods, the basic price of which the Government could not control: All that the Government could do was to ensure that the profits made by merchants in New Zealand on these imported goods were fair and reasonable. The causes of the increased cost of fuel and lighting were well known to tho general public, and he was hopeful that as a result of the recent agreement come to with the miners that the production would so increase as to steady prices and enaUo householders to bo treated mow generously as regards supplies,