STATE FOOD SHOPS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 87, 11 April 1906, Page 9

STATE FOOD SHOPS.

THE PREMTEB'S CURE FOR MONOPOLY. > . . :

(By Telegraph,—Own Correspondent.)

CHRISTCHimCH, April 7. Reverting to his State food shops' proposal, in conversation with, a "Times" reporter, the Premier said: "I have thought the matter out, and I see nothing incongruous in .my suggestion. It. is quite in keeping wth the successful policy of recent; years. The Government's aim is to, reduce the.cost of living, and -with this end in view it has opened State coal mines and- initiated a project for tbe erection of homes for -workers 'at reasonable rentals. If we can reduce the cost of living to the working man by 6/ per week, that means in effect an increase--of one shilling per day in his wages. "What has been tampering the colony for some years past has been that the workers, through the Arbitration Court, the Government, and the legislative, have' been- -securing increased "wages, while the benefit has been taken from them by the action of combines. In respect to food and coal supplies there has been co-operation, in which ship-owners have been concerned in maintaining high prices. The resulting increased cost of living has, in my opinion, been the principal cause of the demand for higher wages through the Arbitration Court. The workers are getting more money than they did in past years* but the position of themselves and their families is not improved in proportion to the increased wages. Now, it is clear that tha constant-pres-sure upon the workers may result in forcing the rate of wages up to; a limit beyond which the industries of the colony will not be able to bear, and that may result in disaster. It is generally recognised that it is obligatory upon the State to see that the people get clean and sound food, and I don't think the State would be going a bit too far in seeing that the people, got cheap food. In Germany for many years the law has been that the price of bread is fixed upon the basis of the production of "wheat and its value. I think that the time is ripe for New Zealand to take similar action in regard to important articles of food. "There is one body of people generally overlooked entirely," concluded*-Mr Seddon. "I mean- the" people who .hold salaries positions. They are not. sufficiently numerous or sufficiently" well, organised to have political; power, and while the. cost of living has been going up their salaries have remained stationary. They are living in a sort of genteel poverty, and they feel the high. prices more, keenly than anj; cißus seikj

"fidu' of the. cohununlty. If coat," fish, and meat were reduced in price the live* of these people would be heavenly com-' pared to •what,-they are now, and there is really no reason why the colony should continue to suffer under the existing conditions."/