£12,000 IN FINES FOR OVERCHARGING

Grey River Argus, 17 September 1948, Page 8

£12,000 IN FINES FOR OVERCHARGING

WELLINGTON, Sept. 16. The activities of' enforcement officers of the Price Control Division during the year covered a wide field in both town and country, states the annual report of the Department of Industries and Commerce. The number of convicions secured since the division’s inception was 2243 and lines totalled £12,097. A general improvement in the ifianner in which all classes of traders in rationed goods had complied with their obligations had been. evident and there had been a considerable decrease in the prosecutions. Ninety-seven prosecutions for alleged rationing offences were instituted in the year. , Several allegations of black marketing, mostly in meat, were made, but investigations proved in most cases that the allegations were based on suspicion and no actual evidence wfls offered. It was conceded that there was some black marketing, particularly in cream, but evidence to justify court proceedings was not always obtainable. It was assessed that the quantity of butter saved from local consumption under rationing during the year was 13,000 tons. The replacement system of supplying meat to traders against coupons collected continued to give satisfaction. The ciuantity of meat withdrawn from civilian consumption during the year amounted to 29,000 tons.