TO CATCH THE PROFITEER.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3395, 28 January 1920, Page 6

TO CATCH THE PROFITEER.

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS

| DOING. i STATEMENT BY MR MASSEY. WELLINGTON, Jan. 26. The Prime Minister .a.utllorises the following statement: regarding the operation of the anti-profiteering ‘clauses of the Board of Trade Act. ipassed last session: Since the passing lof that Act, the method of organisa- ‘ {ion for the enforcement of the powers conferred by Statute to deal with Cases of profiteering have been fully considered from all points of view. Section 32 provides that every person commits an offence who, eitller as principal or agent, sells or supplies or offers for sale or supply any goods at 2. price which is unreasonably high, and that. the price of any goods shall be deemed unreasonably high if it produces, or is calculated to produce, more than a. fair and I'e:lS.on:l‘r)le rzfte of commercial profit to persons selling_;' or supplying. or offering to sell or supply those goods,

or to his principal. :4‘ The section also ‘makes it an. O«fi'ence to heard or refuse to sell goods, if E he:::‘ding or refusal to Sell tends to; raise the c.o.<t of other similar goods to i the public. I Various methods for the enforcement : of this section have been considered by the Board, of Timle, and in parti-y cular the establislimellj. of tribnnalst similar to those sof up under England’s ' Profiteering Act. There lare, however, ‘ objections to entrusfing the preliminary invcstigatiorf ‘authorised by New 1 Zealand either to local eomztittees or to local governing bodies. It may be found necessary at a later date to ap— ' point special officers in each proV'inci':ll A district to enable the Board of Tra(_le~3 to fully perform the duties entrusted V to it by P2lrlia.n’l"ell't. For the present, and in order to provide for im-‘? mediate. requirements. an arrangenient I has been made by which inspectors and officials of the Labour Department will co-operate with the-. Board of Trade.‘

Any member of the public who has evidence that an oflfence againstthe Vesta.-tu't-iory prohijoition of excess profits has been committed, should communicatewith the nearest official of the Department of Labour. Th.a:t oflicial will forward the particulars of the complaint to the Boa?-'d -of Trade, under ‘whose: direction the matter will be fully investigated. If it be found that there is proof of the commission of an offence, proceedings against the offeiider will be tiaken under the direction of the Board of Trade, every prosecution being conducted by the Crown Solicitor of the district. It is the intention of the Government '6O rigidly enforce the provisions of the Act. The right of any individual aggrieved himself to take proceedings is not interfered with. That right is, however, in -all cases limited by the sl'atut'ol'y requirements that no prosecution under the Act may be instituted without the previous consent of the Board of Trade.