ALLEGED PROFITEERING

Southland Times, Issue 18851, 17 June 1920, Page 6

ALLEGED PROFITEERING

THE ALARM CLOCK CASES, j DECISION RESERVED, i (Per United Press Association.) ! CHRISTCHURCH, June 16. The charges of alleged profiteering against several local hardware merchants, and Brown and Durcau, of Wellington, were continued to-day. In all the charges against Brown and Bureau of counselling, etc., pleas of not guilty were entered. In addressing the Court, Mr Skerrett, K.C., submitted that the eases were so trumpery as to cast discredit on those responsible for the prosecution, and suggested that the activity of the 'prosecution in respect of a negligible class of goods was intended to cover up a disinclination to take action in respect of basic lines. lie submitted that no evidence had been adduced that the profit made by any of the defendants was an unreasonable rate of commercial profit. Mr Myers made an exhaustive analysis of the evidence in respect of what constituted ~f commercial profit, and submitted that it could only be determined upon recognised commercial practices. The prosecution had not led any evidence on the point. If fixation of prices was objected to (here was ample power to make regulations abolishing or controlling the system. Ho urged that the question of depreciation of the value of money had a distinct hearing on the question of a reasonable commercial profit. Mr W. C. MacGregor, K.C., repudiated opposing counsel’s suggestions that the cases were trivial. The result of these cases would largely determine whether the Act would remain a dead letter, or whether traders were to bo allowed to make what profits they liked under the guise of what was called commercial profits. He contended that Section 32 was intended to refer to any industrial transaction. The cases, he submitted, were typical cases of profiteering which must be stopped in order to avert something approaching an industrial revolution in this country. The Magistrate reserved his decision. To-morrow a case against the D.I.C. will be taken.