FREE COMPETITION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 210, 31 May 1920, Page 5

FREE COMPETITION

Sir,—At the annual meeting of tho Wellington Chamber of Commerce the chairman, referring to tho activities of the Board of Trade, said: However expedient it may be in abnormal tirnea snch as these to reflate or fax prices, ns a general matter it is an extremely, dangerous practice. I believe I ex-; press the opinion of the commercial community when I say that conuncrco should be as freo and untrammelled as possible—through competition priceswill find their own level." Could you tell us, Mr. Editor, whether Mr. Carr smiled when ho made the above statement or was he able to preserve a solemn face? Perhaps when next Mr., Carr addresses tho Chamber of Com- i merce ho will expound the merchants' idea of. "free and un-, trammelled competition." Was he re-' ferring to the Wellington ring which;, fixes tho wholesale price of most of the principal necessaries, and in many eases■ tho retail price at which tho goods ara - to bo sold! Perhaps Mr. Carr was referring to the combine of the shipping. companies, tho banks,, or the cotton or stool manufacturers, and tho 101 others. Mr. Carr must have his little joko. wonder he resents even tho feeble efforts of tho Board of Trade to keep down the cost of living—l am, etc., W. J. TENNMT. Jfasterton.