PROFITEERING ALLEGED.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 June 1920, Page 5

PROFITEERING ALLEGED.

CASES AT CHRISTCHURCH. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. Charges instigated by the price investigation tribunal against 9everal commercial firms came on for hearing before Mr. McCarthy, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court to-day. Hastie, Bull, and Pickering, of Christchurch, were charged with having-sold Geo. Hart Christie, the price investigation tribunal's investigating officer, a Big Ben alarm clock at a price of 255, which was unreasonably high. Similar charges were heard against the following Christchurch firms:-t-G. W, Drayton and Co., Ltd.; Mason, Strutliers and Co., Ltd.; find E. Reece, Ltd. The offences were alleged to have occurred on April 20. A. J. White, Ltd., were charged for offering for sale 011 the date mentioned a fiig Ben alarm clock at 255; the Drapery Jmporting Company (D.1.C.), of Chri=tenurch, were charged with having offered for sale on April 27 to George Hart Christie a coat at 455, which price was unreasonably high; Brown and bureau, Ltd., of Wellington, were charged with having unlawfully counselled another person—Hastie, Bull, and Pickering, Ltd.—on March 1, to commit an offence under section 32 of the Board of Trade Act. 1919, hy asking and advising Hastie, Bull, and Pickering, Ltd., to offer for sale alarm Clocks at a price which was unreasonably high. Brown and Dtiroau wore charge'd also with a similar offence 011 the same date, it being alleged that they asked and advised A. Minfion, of Christchurch, to offer alarm clocks at unreasonably high prices.

Mr. W. R. McGregor (Dunedinj and Mr. A. T. Doneilv appeared for the Crown; Sir John Findlav appeared alone for Recce, Ltd.; Mr. C." P. Skerrett appeared alone for Draytons, and they appeared jointly for A. ',T. White, Hastie, Bull and Pickering, and Mason Struthers. The cases' are proceeding.