PRICE CONTROL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 December 1942, Page 3

PRICE CONTROL

.EXTENDED TO MANY MORE COMMODITIES STATEMENT BY MR SULLIVAN. NEED OF ACTION AGAINST BLACK MARKETING. “The Prime Minister has- truly described it as a great community enterprise,” said the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, in a statement today on the economic stabilisation decisions. Mr Sullivan is charged with the general administration of the regulations. “Central in the whole plan.” said Mr Sullivan, “is the new war time price index. I hope that there will be a general understanding of what this is. Up to now the Government, by various means, has fixed the prices of about 38 commodities. The housewife pays the same price for these today as she did last month, and the price will not be higher next month. I do not need to tell any housewife the advantage of this I know that many a housewife has said, ‘I wish a lot of other things were fixed in price, then I would know how far my money would go.’ "Now,” said Mr Sullivan, “a lot. of other things are to be fixed in price. Here is the full list, the items in the first paragraph being those already fixed, and the remainder being new: — ALREADY CONTROLLED. “Bread, flour, oatmeal, rolled oats, . tea, coffee, sugar, honey, salt, baking powder, milk (fresh and condensed), bacon (shoulder and middle cut), butter, cheese, eggs, meat, coal, coke, gas, electric current, men’s underwear (N.Z,. wool), men’s socks (N.Z. wool), men’s boots (N.Z. leather), men’s shoes (N.Z. leather), men’s shoe repairs, women’s shoes (N.Z. leather), women’s shoe repairs, women’s underwear (N.Z. wool), girls’ underwear (N.Z. wool), girls’ shoes (N.Z. leather), girls’ sandals (N.Z. leather), girls’ shoe repairs, boys’ jerseys (N.Z. wool), boys’ underwear (N.Z. wool), boys’ hose (N.Z. wool), boys’ boots (N.Z. leather), boys’ shoes (N.Z. leather), boys’ shoe repairs, infants’ jerseys (N.Z. wool), infants’ socks (N.Z. wool), infants’ shoes (N.Z. leather), infants’ shoe repairs, infants’'underwear (N.Z. wool), blankets (N.Z. wool), woollen piece goods (N.Z. wool), knitting wool (N.Z. wool), suiting (N.Z. wool), tram fares. NOW TO BE CONTROLLED. “Potatoes, onions, jam, golden syrup, treacle, matches, rice, raisins, peaches (canned), prunes (dried), cabbages, fish, carrots, parsnips, swedes, lemons, apples, men’s wear, including suit (N.Z. material), overcoat (N.Z. material), pullover (N.Z. wool), sports coat (N.Z. material), sports trousers (N.Z. material), working overalls, shirt (cotton), shirt (working), singlet (locknit), underpants (interlock), pyjamas (flannelette), hat, raincoat; women’s wear, including skirt, tweed (N.Z...w001), stockings (lisle, silk and art. silk), pullover (N.Z. wool), overcoat (N.Z. tweed), readymade wool frocks (N.Z. wool), vests (locknit), bloomers (locknit), pantees (interlock), underslip (locknit), nightdress (interlock, pyjamas (winceyette), gloves (nappaj, smock, dirndl, hats (felt), readymade frocks (art. silk), readymade frocks (cotton), corselettes, raincoat, woollen blouse material (imported), cotton blouse and frock material, art. silk blouse and frock material; girls’ wear, including gym. frock (N.Z. material), stockings, cashmere (N.Z. wool), sockettes (lisle), cardigan (N.Z. wool), overcoat (N.Z. tweed), school hat, vest (interlock), bloomers (interlock), nightdress (locknit), pyjamas (winceyette), frock (cotton), raincoat; boys’ wear, including suit (N.Z. material). shorts (N.Z. material), overcoat (N.Z. material), school caps, flannel shirts (N.Z. flannel), singlets (interlock), underpants ' (interlock), shirt (cotton), pyjamas (flannelette); infants’ wear, including pants (N.Z. wool), overcoat (N.Z. tweed), slippers, shirt (cotton), singlet (wool and cotton), pyjamas (winceyette); sheetings, sheets (double and single), pillow slips, towels, tea towels, table cloths; plates, cups and saucers, mixing bowls; bedstead, dressing chest, wardrobe, mattress (wire or wood), mattress (wool), pillows; dining table, dining chairs, sideboard, kitchen table, occasional table, kitchen stool; soap (laundry), starch, cleaner (Old Dutch), boot polish, clothes pegs, blue; stew pan, preserving pan, colander, pudding basin, pie dish, jug, mug, basin, kettle, teapot, tin kettle, tin dipper, round cake tin, sandwich tin, dessert knives, table knives, teaspoons, dessert spoons, table forks, dessert forks, table spoons, spade, axe, rake, hoe; corn broom, mop, broom (hair and fibre), brush (scrub), bannister brush;

washboard (wood), electric lamp, bucket (galv.), frypan, bakepan. fire shovel; mincer; papers, school stationery; toothpaste, soap (toilet and shaving), hair cuts, razor blades; postage, telegrams; tobacco. AVERAGE STABILISATION. “All these commodities and services,” said the Minister, “comprise the War Time Price Index. Their prices, taken as a whole, are to be kept stable. This does not mean that no item in the list will ever vary in price, but if there is a rise in one it will be offset by a fall in another. The effect will be that money spent over the whole range of these commodities, all of them essentials, will buy approximately the same quantities from week to week, and from month to month. That is the intention, and the Government will do its utmost to carry it out. It cannot do so without the co-operation of the people, all the people, and as the success of the plan is obviously to everyone’s advantage, the Government is fairly entitled to ask for the co-operation of everybody. ILLEGAL TRADING. “How can that co-operation be given? First of all, it can be given by accepting cheerfully and observing in spirit as well as in the letter the other part of the plan, which is lhe stabilisation of income's. That is indispensable. We cannot possibly have one kind of stabilisation without the other, for most of these commodities are New Zealand produced ,and the cost of labour and materials determine their price. If the costs of producing or manufacturing them increase, then prices cannot possibly be stabilised. Secondly, the people can co-operate by avoiding, as they would the plague, the black market. The black market is a phrase, and many people don’t know its meaning. Some of them have dealt in it without knowing it. They have met someone who has offered them a quantity of some commodity at a high price. They have thought they shouldn’t miss the opportunity, so they have paid over the money and gone home with the goods. If the goods they bought were goods with a fixed price, then they have been dealing in the black market. SEVERE PENALTIES PROVIDED. “I say to all the people,” said the Minister, “that they can blot out the back market. It needs buyers as well as sellers, and if there are no buyers there will be no sellers. The Government has made the penalties for black marketing, as for profiteering, very severe, but an even greater deterrent than fines and imprisonment and confiscation will be a universal public opinion that dealing in the black market is shabby, greedy and unpatriotic. ' It is unpatriotic because the continued success of oui’ war effort depends on economic stability, and this plan now launched is designed to ensure that stability. I would particularly appeal to people with a large spending margin to realise their responsibility. I repeat —if there are no buyers there will be no black market.” INCOMES AND PRICES. In reference to other aspects of the plan, Mr Sullivan emphasised that income stabilisation extended far beyond wages. It had been agreed that prices paid to farmers would not be increased. The incomes of other sections of the community were closely controlled through taxation. The extension of rent stabilisation from housing to other forms of property, was necessary because rents entered ‘ into costs. The stabilisation of transport rates was justified for the same reason.

“A country’s war effort is manysided,” said Mr Sullivan in conclusion. “The military side of it is of primary importance, but it is a fallacy to think that the unspectacular business of living here in New Zealand —the manner in which we live, the resources we use, necessarily or unnecessarily—is unimportant. It is of very great importance. We cannot look for ‘stabilisation’ on the military side, but on the' home front it can be achieved. It is to everybody’s advantage that it should be achieved, and the Government believes that with tha goodwill and co-operation of the people it’ can be achieved." COMMISSION SET UP MEMBERSHIP ANNOUNCED. MR B. C. ASHWIN DIRECTOR OF STABILISATION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. A “Gazette” notice issued today announces the appointement of the Economic Stabilisation Commission. The members appointed are: Messrs A. T. Donnelly, chairman, F, D. Cornwell,

the Hon A. McLagan, Messrs W. Marshall, C. V. Smith and F. P. Walsh. It is announced also that Mr B. C. Ashwin, Secretary to the Treasury, Financial Adviser to the Government, has been appointed Director of Stabilisation.