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Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 9, 6 October 1943, Page 4

Black marketing is said to be rampant in Australia and the laws relating to it may be reviewed. It was reported some months ago that theie was a black market that dealt in food coupons. The Act passed a ago seemed to be a drastic measure, but apparently difficulty has been experienced in .sheeting home offence's. In the Commonwealth a black marketeer may be either a buyer or a seller, and the minimum penalty for a first offence was fixed at three months’ imprisonment in the case of an individual or a line of £lOOO for a company. If the case went, before a jury the minimum penalties were one year’s imprisonment' or a line of £lO,OOO respectively. Other provisions provided for the forfeiture of the goods involved to the Crown, and for a period of throe months after the conviction details of the offence had to be prominently displayed in tlie premises o£ the offender. Ono interesting point in tlie Bill was that it drew a distinction between the “black marketeer” and tlie “profiteer.” It was explained that the former, by corrupt and devious methods, set out to evade restrictions. It was a deliberate offence. On the other hand, the “profiteer” might be equally guilty, but there were cases where the offence was more a matter of mischance than of intent. Dr. Evatt, who introduced the Bill, gave specific instances of offences for which comparatively light penalties had been imposed, and it was expected that the greater powers given tlie courts would lend to kill this illegitimate form of trading. Apparently tliey have failed to do .so, and some Federal Ministers are of the opinion that the whole financial structure of the Commonwealth is being endangered by extensive black markets.