WOMEN AND THE COST OF LIVING.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 117, 17 May 1920, Page 9

WOMEN AND THE COST OF LIVING.

,To ihe Editor.. • sir - I wi«h to reply tn your article in" Friday'? "Star.- ' headed "Beauty Unadorned." Whatever diversity of .nninion ther.> may lie about the resolution passed at the women's meeting on Monday night, all will agree that it has iroueecl public interest, w-hu-h i> some- ; thins. Xi erybody grumbles and nobody does anything. this meeting has led to .several letters in local papers: it has been discussed by business men: and last, hut by no mean-; least, it has called "into print a sarcastic article in tlie •'Star." The Auti-Protiteering Tribunal recently held sittings here. These proceeding? were held with the reticence and modesty one associates with anonymous doiwt'ions to charity. The report I was brief. Refunds had been ordered for profiteering on certain articles. Xo : names were published. 1 looked in vain | for a. scathing condemnation from the i "■■tar.'' An outcry that the public .-liould be protected by announcing the ! name? of those guilty and mentioning ; the. prices charged. A "Star" reporter wai j evidently at the women's meeting, and ' must have heard the discussion over the |

suggested resolution. Many were in i favour of a straight-out boycott—buy | only -what was absolutely necessary for | six months, as the canny Dunedinitea j are doing. Others pointed out that by \ putting a maximum price like £10 on a i costume they hoped to get wealthy i women to join too. Many would feel no hardship in signing because they would never dream of paying the prices : n question for the articles mentioned. But by regulating the. highest price the cheaper articles would have to come down too. Personally lam in favour of a straight-out boycott, hut 1 hope the "Star" will come to light with some practical scheme to assist women in this worthy cause. It" it is sufficiently awake j to the crying needs of the people it will I start a vigorous crusade against profiteering.—l am. etc., WIDE AWAKE. ; |