PROFITEERING COMPLAINTS

Evening Star, Issue 22458, 1 October 1936, Page 10

PROFITEERING COMPLAINTS

BUSY INVESTIGATIONS PROCEEDING [Prom Oca Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, October 1. Since the Prevention of Profiteering Act was passed early in August the officers of the Department of Industries and Commerce have been actively investigating complaints in 45 separate industries and trades, and a great deal of information has been secured which is in process of analysis: and tabulation. This information was given, in an interview by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr Sullivan. When asked regarding action being taken under the Act, the Minister said the Act was designed to prevent profiteering by prohibiting the, making of unreasonable increases in prices charged for goods and services. Complaints had been received from many parts of the dominion that prices had been advanced. The investigations would ascertain the extent by which prices had been advanced over and above the basic price as defined in the Act, and the extent to which those advances appeared reasonable. The latter point involved the extent, if any, by which the expenses of the person or firm complained of had, since June 1, been directly or indirectly increased by the operation of any amendment of the law relating to Die rates of remuneration of workers, of working hours, and also the extent by which business was likely to be increased through the increased demand for the kind of goods sold or the services performed, due to increased purchasing power. The Minister added that when the information was complete it would be placed before him to decide whether there were sufficient grounds to justify any complaints being placed before the magistrate appointed under the Act.