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COSIT AND DIVIDENDS.
Factors Depressing Profits.
CANBERRA, May 26.-A com
parison of figures showed there was
no foundation for 'the argument
used by the Treasurer (Mr Chiley)
that rising costs had provided more
favourable dividends to sharehold
ers, said Mr L. Withall, director of
the Associated Chambers of Manu
factures, today. When inflationary
rises in prices and costs were
checked by price control it followed
that rising costs ouistripped rising
prices.
Mr Chifley, he said, had disre
garded substantial factors which
were depressing profits at present.
These included high taxation on the
business communmity, price control,
rationing and import control, labour
troubles, low profits and even losses
on defence contracts and uncontrol
lable costs including wages which
bad not been satisfactorily pegged.
Profits were falling before the issue
of Price Ceiling Order No 1015.
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