COMMODITY PRICES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20054, 28 September 1939, Page 16

COMMODITY PRICES

INCREASES PERMISSIBLE HIGHER COST OF GOODS TRIBUNAL TO DECIDE . MINISTER’S STATEMENT ' (Per Proas Association.) WELLINGTON, this: day. A'clear indication + hat, in spite of price stabilisation regulations, It would be possible for the prices of commodities.to be increased if the price investigation tribunal was satisfied that this action was justified by highei costs, was given by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon D. G. Sullivan, in a statement issued ♦ast, evening. The Minister added that additional facilities were being provided to expedite the decisions of the tribunal. “The price stabilisation regulations make it illegal to increase the price of goods; and services beyond those ruling on September 1, just before the outbreak of war,” Mr. Sullivan said. “There Is provision, however, giving power to the Minister to vary prices. This provision does not appear to be .as widely understood as it should be, with the result that some traders are refraining from ordering goods from abroad "in the mistaken belief that they will not be permitted ‘to recover in prices the increased costs’of .obtaining the .goods. ■

Application Required

“Applications to the price tribunal, accompanied by the necessary data, will-.be followed by permission being granted to increase the price of goods, but in strict accordance with the increased costs only. Applications may be made to district officers of the Industries ahd Commerce Department at Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin, and direct to the price tribunal itself in Wellington,” the Minister added.

‘The district officers to whom application is made will communicate With the price tribunal,, forwarding their-recommendations in each case. The utmost endeavour will be made to facilitate quick decisions, and •it will be of the greatest assistance if all the applicants will provide officers or the tribunal with full data and .thereby avoid .delay. Additional facilities are lielii&'<p£bvided to expedite decisions. It Will be in the interests of traders to co-operate with the tribunal, and if that is done I am satisfied that a minimum of inconvenience will be incurred.”