COMMODITY COSTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20070, 17 October 1939, Page 8

COMMODITY COSTS

RISES PERMISSIBLE

TRADERS MUST APPLY POLICY OF TRIBUNAL OUTLINE OF PRINCIPLES (Pm- Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The conditions under which the Price Investigation Tribunal will agree to price increases, were outlined by the president of fire Wellington Chamber of Commerce, Captain Ilolm, in a statement to-day. based, he said, on information obtained as a result of inquiries by the chamber. In terms of lire tribunal's policy, prices will be permitted to be raised above the levels ruling on September ! by the amount of flic actual increases in costs, but application for permission to increase prices must be made to the tribunal. Under the head of increased costs, such items as increased costs of goods imported, increased freight, war risk insurance, actual interest incurred on deferred payments, actual ascertained variations in exchange and interest costs on the additional capital involved by reason of the increased price paid for goods and so an, will be allowed. Expediting Decisions A suitable form of application has been prepared and adopted by the tribunal for use by traders in making application for permission to increase prices. Supplies of this form are available at the oificc of the tribunal and at the offices of the Department of Industries and Commerce at Auckland, Christchurch* and Dunedin. With a view to expediting dealing with the applications and to avoid any delay in making decisions, additional facilities have been provided at the office of the tribunal and at the local offices of the department. Applications made by traders in Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin may be addressed to local officers of the department in those centres, and those officers will make any necessaryinvestigation or inquiry and will then make a recommendation to the tribunal. The utilisation of district officers of the department in this waywill greatly facilitate the handling of applications in those localities. Captain Holm said he had been assured that the tribunal was anxious at all times to obtain assistance in this work of the chambers of commerce and similar commercial and trade organisations. Also, the tribunal desired, while carrying out the effect ef the regulations, to keep in mind the difficulties of traders and to administer the regulations as smoothly as possible in this time of emergency.