STATE BAKERIES?

TO PREVENT EXTREME PRICES. . -The Prime Minister on Saturday announced the intention; of the Government to establish bakeries for the Bupply of bread to the people if-it'should-ap-pear necessary to do so in the interests of the people. A Dominion reporter interviewed. Mr. ■ Massey on the subject yesterday. "I have already said that if any further increase takes place in the price of bread the Government will establish bakeries in the four principal centres,"' said "Vie have not arrived at this determination without proper consideration. I know perfectly well that an increase fin the price of the necessaries of life is unavoidable in war time; but eitreine prices must be avoid-, ed wherever possible, and conditions' made as easy as we can make them, especially for people with families. I know, that a number of . people, many for. political reasons, have been crying out before they were liurt, and I am not wasting much sympathy on them, but I know also that a very much larger number are already feeling'the pinci— having a difficulty in making ends meet— and this is the class we are anxious to help." • ' ' In the course of further conversation he indicated that there were apparently great unexplained differences in the price at which'flour waß sold by millers 'in different parts of New Zealand and the prices at which flour was purchasable m Wellington. From official figures supplied to- him_ about ten days ago, it' appeared that in the wheat-growing districts mills were selling flour at from £14 10s. to £15 per ton. One miller .was actually delivering' in the .suburbs of Christchurch at £15 10s. Almost the highest price in the particulars supplied to him was £16. There weTe individual places at which the pricesvwere higher than : even this, but always, they-were remote places.