WHAT IT COSTS TO LIVE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 154, 28 June 1912, Page 2

WHAT IT COSTS TO LIVE.

■ 13TCBEASED COAL PRICES. i SCO MSCESDEENATION IN' SALB. jp*"—.- — };■■ CHAIKMAISr OF iIMRaCTOES , EVIDBNCE.

The Coat of living Commission heard further evidence yesterday afternoon. Arthur Tooman, auctioneer <>f fruit and other goods, stated that although packing had greatly improved during the last five- yeaxs,. there vas stall room, for improvement. Continuing, witness stated 'that about 20 per cent increase was put on the goods between the aaetkmeer'e "hammer and £he retail shops. ' He did not consider- tbis-4»onuich. He kaew.jQLffio fruiterer who had retired -with .-mnsa money. , B ......'.....

:; "coAL'-SUirajED to AsaroKE." E. W; Alison, chairman of ■directors ol the Taupirl coal "!mifie3, said 'tbai in the past, 12 years the increase in the price of coal ■hfp? been as follows: 1900, household coal 13/, steam coal »/; 1907, household coaLM/.,steami-cqai9f6, hold coal W, steam coal 10/6; 1909,. household coal 16/, steam coal l'l/E These prices were ■for coal ilelivered on the-raflway at Huntly- No increase had taken place since 1909. There had been no constraint exercised iby ihe company in choosing its customers.. Hβ -company knew of. the Coal Dealers' Association,' but- his: : 3fcMpany~eagpße&: coal" ttf anyone, _The.increase in.price, was. due _tp the' increased of "'hewing "rates," in-creased'Wages-'to-iMjth underground-and surface -workere, and the shortening of the houis of Jafceui._ hours were 8 Eorors underground exclusive of mealtime, new'the. -hours were 8 hours from pitmonlh to ipHanoirEh, a reduction <sif I>} Iwor. Also legislation affected the work in the mines. Whilst the 1907 award was in operation >the men threatened to s±nike-and the company increased' the wages 5 per cent all "round, which cost between £2,000 and £3,000.

UJEpJER 3STO OKLIGATIOXS. If a. ttklti wanted to start as a coal dealer, stated Mr. Alison, he could 'buy on exactly the came ternw as bis competitors, and be .unrestricted in -selling. The company was" under no obligations to anyone. It had never refused any supplies, ibnfc it jtvoujd not supply 20 tons ai the same rate w .'I,OOO U>ns. ". "

Mr. Veiteh: It would not make any difference a. person being or not being a member of the Dealers' Association?—. Xone at all, but differential rates apply •to quantities. FROM A MEDICAL STANDPOINT. Dr. Herbert Goldstein, medical practitioner, stated that, in his experience, tlir. cost of medical attendance had notrisen, during the past twenty years. The medical men had not asked for any increase, in the lodge rates ( £1), although everything had gone up considerably in price~3iiring tKe last five years. He did not think there had been anymarked increase Iα .the price of drugs.

DEAPEEY AND'CLOTHING. G.eo. Court, draper, Rarangahajie Road, said. jthat::duting." the-last, fitee years the ,;priee. of a man's- tweed sujWJh.ad "gone 'up considerably, flic increase, ibejag oboprt 1Q per cent. ;' Drapery generally had increased -in the same- proportion.

John.- Gallagher)_feherittan, gave "-evidence as to the- scarcity of fish. The boats had now to go 100 miles outside of Auckland, and in time they would probably hive to : go 200 -of' 300 miles out; . - '■" "". ■'■ '

/GROCDER AND, aOUEHALIST. ' WilU?™ ■^ i s^¥ p d3on. stated he was now a-journalist, but had- been a general storekeeperV-T On- the-whole,- he- would say- the grocery Bnen had. never- been as cheafT'as they ,- were" at "present. Hour was so cheap' that ■wheat-growing -was going out. / Witness contended that drinking,' smoking and gambling took a great deal! of the money, from the- public pocket. WB DECASENt MOLAR. Arthur Morton , Carter,, dentist, said that dttrjng the p?tst few . years the standard of ? -dentistry had greatly increased, and was on a totally different footing to wfcat it .was twenty-years ago. Thousands of teeth' were now saved which twenty years ago would have befert extraetedj ~ Ifc. did not think it was a fair question to ask if. dentistry had increased the coat of ■ living. In jpany w»ys * s&ying-in the. cost of living, as the Dental Hospital bad treated in ,tw years 'and nine mpßCflis, \ .'„' ...... .

When the Canmiasioipxesuiiied to-d*y the first -witness was ; William BJwanljSSß, secretary of the. Batchers 5 tfeion, iwJb<>-etated that wages had increased from 15 to "20- per cent: during- the .past- tea- yearo, - The cost of labour -had- sot added-to- the price—of meat--. A. Jiigh.. Home market meant a high local market. The- price of meat in Auckland was .governed.. by the .■Batchers' Association. .All the JbatehenTin Auckland exceptdreur or tothe .aEspcmtion. ;jr ' *' r

Thomas Donald MeNab, grooer,i-m*na--ger-;fpr .the iNatiraial Trading when asked if he had any knowledge of a '-ling" controlling prices in eggs, said there-were - two ■ or- three «nd two or three xetajleTs- whp fixed the-price eyery'SaifcuStagr-niJOTniiig., One •would ring ,up. the .ofhers- and ask *vvh*t the price..,ijras to.ie«: ....... -'~.:.:": The chamnaiL: What is" tile' efEeet tothe prpduceir.of tharfe it not a very, -on-his prjeee?—«* Yes- ■ ; J*'° '1, -::' '.' _ ■ -.-;:.:- .

Eynest -iSriEnr - Gr'sig, " secretary ol Craig, limited, coal merchants fend carriers, said there had been, spasmodic; rises it? {.lie cost of the carrying trade coincS dent. with, tlioincrease.il cost of labour. There had been, rises in the cost of coal dyrhig tjiie Iksfc eight or tm .years/ bat not. very. much. Mr. Q. W. Leadley: What has been the effect of reeeni labour legislation on your:-%tuaness.l- iJ The margin "of profit gets less. jherco'st of and tie output of labour las decreased. Replying to questions, -witness stated that a certain amount of Newcastle coal, of ordinary household coal for hotels and boarding-houses was imported—about ti-aer-eent as compared -with. Tsrapiri eoa!. 'A considerable amount -of {Newcajstle )team coal was imported. Mr. Tairbairn: Is there a common Tmierstanding_ between coal merchants as to have a stated price for Tanpiri coal only. Could an- independent man start as ioal dealer in Auckland, and draw supjbes from merchants like members of the

Association.?— There is nothing to stop ' crdc rinjgf 'fr^y n mine dipcct, and he can become a member of our Association. He nra«t conform *o out prices; he coxild not -sell at less. : AHLECc£jn.OSS -EEBSIJTED. Dealing witi. statements made by a nnion secrEtary, the pieeioas day, the witness stated that, sfrom 1306-1910 the price of coal had not varied. The statement that outside persons could not get coal at the pit was inearreet. There was no such thing as a bond in the Auckland Coal Dewters' Association. The whole crnxof the matter-was tbe-.extra-vagant living of the working laen. They were entitled to comforts; tout pleasures seemed to Tank first. He thought New Zealand was Hearing a. very dangerous financial zone owing to the recklessly high extravagance in the standard ot living. DECEPTIVE DEVICES. William John HoJdsworth, manager HoJdsworth and Son, said 4J»e price of boots had gone up-very little considering the -big advance in raw materials. Unfortunately the tariff hit heaviest at the very staff which .was not manufactured in Nerw Zealand. Tthe chairman: Have you any knowledge of devices for deceiving the public, snch as "3?ari3ian" boots made in Auckland? —Some of the brands bear a striking resemblance to those of European •and American cities. Have you. any knowledge of oardiboaxd in imported shoes? —That was more so i years ago than now. It would not pay to import" these now. . Have you noticed any composition in i the 'heels ?—Yes, in lower grade imported shoes, tout that doesn't affect the ing qualities unless it gets very wet. Some: rather .sweeping statements were made about -tihie in Christchurch. We nave a Boot Retailers' Association, and they asked mc to contradict these statements. We doubt very much whether such conditions exist in Chrdstchurch; such conditions certainly do not exist in Aucklani Tihe increase in ±he price of boots is not due to the retailer, as was stated. A 22/6 shoe was quoted as being made for 10/. Retailers would not do much business on those lines, bowever.

The witness added that there was nothing in the way of banding together on the pact of the retailers wifch a view to putting up prices. This would be impossible, as there were so many grades. The increase in prices was largely due to the increase in the price of rasv marteriaJs. The increase in sole leather was over 80 per cent, kips over 50 per cent, sheepskin over 50 per cent, and French, calf 50 per cent. Wages had advanced about 20 per cent. The increases 'had not been passed on owing to competition. NO DEPOSIT DEMANDED.

Jas. William Garrefct, butcher, stated he was free to sell at any price. He knew at no regulation of prices of meat. He know nothing of butchers being bound to sell at certain prices or forfeit a deposit, of £20. ©avid Alexander Hedley, grocer, stated that 'the price of eggs was fixed every Monday morning and pufaUsbed. in the newspapers. were sometimes soM at higher rates than quoted. Supposing 1/3 was the price fixed, for instance, it was sometimes increased to 1/5 or 1/6.

(Douglas Heed, grocer and butcher, stated there was a grocers' association in existeirce, but he did not belong to' either Che butchers or the grocers' association-. Mr. E. 'Hall: Is there any attempt to interfere with you in the supply of goods?—Nα. If one merchant would not supply, I Would- go to another or outaide "meEchants. Mjv-Seed--further added - -tfeat-2here was a combine among the butchers to fix prices, and they were under a pen-! alty to sell at certain prices. _. Hβ -was the-only free man.

BUTCHEBS' PRICES. Douglas -Reed, who rus the dua business* of-buteher-and grocer, after stating that he was the oidy free man in Auckland": as far as' "the "butchery '"trade -was concerned, eaid that butchers had come to hjia repeatedly and asked" him' to join the association, and he had refused. "I reckon I have been a champion to Auckland people so far -qs keeping down prices is concerned," he added: Mr G. W. iLeadley: Have you been -tod there -was a bond? —They have asked mc to put down. £25 myself to join the 'association, and kmted mc to "come in with the rest," tout I refused.

Tie chairman (Mr E. Tregear): Do you believe any such understanding is against the public interest?— Certainly, I would have put up my money if I didn't think so. I doa'fc think there is much, "plunder" to chare; the expenses of delivery are very great. I don't think all i>Ta shops prosper, some of them won't pay their way. Dγ -Hjght: Has-the c.fcnbination any effect the people have to pay tike prices. I could guarantee Id per pcfind all round decrease an the 'combination prices. The-expenses of-the combination are, 1 think, reckless, and that-is wiry "they dontumake much profit. Mr A.. Fairbairn: That Id per. lb might, stean 15 per cent?—l can prove that. Jibe public buy the same quantity, ■and the Jjest at Id ]fiv =,(rand cheaper. I give » weekly credit to board-ing-houses, otherwise mine is a cash •business. I get a. -fair -profit a£ present. Mr EL-JHall: Have you any difficulty in getting rid of_ cheaper lines?— \ can never get enough sausages. Last week I made loOCHbs of sausages. That is where-tbe cheaper meat goes. (laughter.) In the "winter time the meat goes with "soups, and in the- -summer we have it -left. I have no •■waste' ■whatever. If I buy bullocks cheap to-day I give the public the advantage. .Dγ Hight: Do you buy in auction?— Yea, in auction sales. There ere three suction sales here. I used to get a fortnight's credit from, them, as <Ud the •pther-'btttcher.s, 'When the list-was- founded T -was told by note that <if I didnt join.l -couldn't have any further benefit ■of the fortnight's credit. »So I had to •pay cash 'before delivery. That meant I really had to find £400 or £500 a* a day's notice. lam ■Qte only one paying epot cash for my meat.

A i<IST OF BENTS. P. J. Jferheny 3iihmitte4 a. table giving a comparison of tlie ren-ts of 53 cottages in and around Auckland for the yearg 18?7 and lfflg. of houses -were stiH rented for *he same aanount, two «f tibeiu had had the rents xedraced" from 30/ to 28/, and 24 showed a slight increase owing; to iinproYements and enlaijjeißents. This showed that there had jtab been much increase in the. rent of houses. ibnil , t*2o years ago, ex» cept where ibhe landlords were extra greedy. iWsQi foctuseae buM ■fihe Jast 12 yeaxs owing to the enormous increase in the price of 'tamber they cotfldn't be built at'€he same price. Witness was still giving his evidence when tiie "Star" "went to press.