[e. w. de fenq.

H.—44A.

114. Then in regard to flour ? —3|- lb. for Is. in a Willis Street shop. 115. You asked for a shilling's worth of flour ?—Yes. 116. And you were charged what price ? —3J lb. for Is. 117. What is the wholesale cost ? —2|d. per pound. 118. On cost that would be 62 per cent. : and I suppose it would be about 40 per cent, on turnover—that is, roughly speaking ? —Yes. 119. I think you bought 1 lb. of washing-soda ?—Yes, for 2d., and the wholesale price is 6s. 9a. per hundredweight. 120. On cost that is over 130 per cent. ?—Yes. 121. And what do you say it was sold at ?—1 lb. was sold at 2d. 122. Where was that ? —ln Vivian Street. 123. I understand that at an Island Bay shop you bought 1 lb. of carbonate of soda- and paid what ?—3d. 124. And the wholesale price is what ? —l|d. 125. Then in regard to rennet tablets, what is the cost per bottle ? —9d. per bottle, and 6s. per dozen is the wholesale price. 126. Then with respect to coffee and chicory ? —The wholesale price is Is. 9d. per pound, less 10 per cent, and 2|, and I bought J lb. and paid 7d. 127. Then with respect to cinnamon; you paid what? —I paid 4d. per packet, and it costs 2s. 3d. for sixteen packets, less 10 per cent, and 2| per cent. 128. Then there is a packet of turmeric : you paid what I—l1 —I paid 6d. It costs 2s. 3d., less 10 per cent, and 2| per cent. Mr. Gressen : I take it that as regards the ——■ stores all the articles you have shown are those where large profits have been made. Are you going to contend that they also cut goods as well % Mr. Myers : I am not sure about that. My point is that it is the -——— people who are attacking us. Mr. Gressen: You do not complain about our making profits ? Mr. Myers : Not in the least. They are the persons who are seeking to prevent us making a reasonable profit. They want to sell our lines at any price they like. Mr. Collins : I think we had better leave questions like that to the cross-examination of the witnesses. Mr. Myers : It was as a result of my friend's statement that made me reply. (At this stage it was decided that the continuation of the examination of the witness should be continued next day.) The Committee adjourned at 4.30 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. next day.

Second Day : Wednesday, 23k d February, 1927. The Committee met at 10.30 a.m. Examination of Emile William de Fenq continued. (No. 2.) 1. Mr. Myers.'] Have you copies of the agreements into which it is proposed to ask the manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers respectively to enter ?—Yes, I hand the documents in. L is the manufacturers' agreement, and is entitled " Application to list Lines, or alter Prices of Lines already listed." M is the wholesalers' agreement, headed "Agreement." Nis a copy of the proposed retailers' agreement, and is headed " The Proprietary Articles Trade Association of New Zealand," and is addressed to the executive of the P.A.T.A. 2. You referred yesterday to the purchase of some asparagus from the Self-help shop ? —Yes. the Self-help shop in Lambton Quay. 3. Are you able to say whether there is any variation in the prices charged for that same article at the different Self-help shops ? —Yes ; the same day as I made the purchase at the Lambton Quay shop I called at the Cuba Street shop, and in the window of that shop there was a tin of the same brand of asparagus, marked Is. lOd. I went in and asked the manager what the price was and he said Is. Bd., and I bought and paid for a tin at that price, although it was marked in the window at Is. lOd. 4. What did you pay at the Lambton Quay shop for the same article ? —2s. 3d. This is the tin I bought at Cuba Street shop [produced]. Mr. Montgomery: It looks as if it were a little battered. 5. Mr. Myers :] Was it reduced on that account ? —I do not think so. Asparagus-tins usually look like that. 6. So that at Lambton Quay, where I suppose more of the " expensive " trade is done, the article is marked and sold at 2s. 3d., while in Cuba Street it is marked at Is. lOd. and you got it for Is. Bd. '( —Yes ; I can Dot say why it should be so. 7. I think you wanted to say something about some lobster which you bought ?—'Yes, I purchased this tin [produced] at the Courtenay Place shop. It is Cape Spiney lobster, and is packed by the Sadanha Bay Packing Co., of Capetown, of which lam a shareholder. I sold ten cases

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