STERN ACTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 September 1942, Page 3

STERN ACTION

AGAINST PROFITEERS & BLACK MARKET PROPOSED IN AUSTRALIA. OFFENDERS TO ADVERTISE CONVICTION. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) CANBERRA. September 23. Striking provisions for the branding of all profiteers publicly are contained in. a new Bill to strengthen price control and smash the black markets in Australia. The central feature of the Bill is the prevision for the placarding of every convicted profiteer. As soon as a trader has been convicted of a breach of price control he must himself advertise his offence, and continue to do so for a period of some months. The form of advertising is stipulated and includes the printing of a special notice on invoices and dockets and the display of large notices throughout the premises. "This firm is a convicted profiteer” will be the-substance of the placards.

PROPOSED PENALTIES MINIMUM OF THREE MONTHS’ IN GAOL. OR 12 MONTHS FOR INDICTABLE OFFENCE. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 9.30 a.m.) CANBERRA. This Day. Penalties for persons convicted in the Lower Court of black marketing or profiteering are to be a minimum of three months’ imprisonment, without the option of a fine, for individuals and a fine of £l,OOO for companies, under a Bill introduced in the House of Representatives today. If an offence is prosecuted upon indictment, the minimum penalty will be imprisonment for twelve months without the option of a fine for an individual and a fine of £lO,OOO for a company. Every person who is a director or employee actively concerned in the conduct of a business is to be deemed guilty of an offence unless he proves that it is without his knowledge and that all due care has been taken to prevent it. Thus a firm can be fined £lO,OOO and guilty directors or employees sentenced to twelve months m gaol as well. - The Government is also seeking power to brand publicly profiteers by placarding their premises, forcing newspapers and radios to broadcast the offenders’ public disservice and by making profiteers place particulars of their offence on letter-heads, invoices and accounts. _____