COST OF LIVING.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16985, 6 November 1920, Page 8

COST OF LIVING.

A DROP IN PRICES.

THE NEW BONUS. j (special to "the TRESS.'') "WELLINGTON, November 5. A proposal that the cost of living bonuses granted by the Arbitration Court should be operative simultaneously throughout New Zealand, and | that'they should be based upon current! prices, instead of the average prices of tho preceding six months, was put before the House of Representatives today bv Mr Mc-Combs, who asked the Prime Minister a question on the subject. Mr Masse j" said ■ that the announcement made by the President of the Arbitration Court did not appear to be definite or final. The judge had asked for objections. He had said tliatj the bonus of 2Jd an hour would be | paid unless good cause were shown to the contrary, and would be payable from November Ist. "I am satis-led with the figures," added Mr Massey. "[ propose to ask my colleagues to have the figures looked into very closely bv experienced men. I cannot think that there bus been an increase m the cost of living just lately." The Prime Minister went on to say that potatoes were very much cheaper than tliev had been in 1919- They had been sold by tho growers for very low prices; indeed, they bad been sold in tho pit in Christehurch at one shilling per cwt. Lately tea had fallen by sixpence per pound. Tno bottom hud dropped out of the market for hides, and that must be reflected in the prices of boots. Everybody knew tho position in regard to wool. Clothing was comjno* (for.'li in oricc. Ho believed that there was a "decrease already in the cost of living. He had seen a statement that after the holidays: there would be a substantial fall in the price of clothing. Tho traders naturally wished to keep up the prices over the holidays, but tie had noticed that the prices' of suits had been reduced. Mr Massey added that lie behoved the peak of high priccs had been passed, and that living was going to becomo cheaper. Mr Holland later in the day asked tho Prime Minister whether the important legislation that he (Mr Mftssov) had said' was yet to be introduced this session, had to do with the latest bonus to be granted tho workers by the Arbitration Court. Mr Massey : That question, of course, I cannot answer. The matter is still under consideration, and I shall probably not bo able to make a definite announcement till Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday of next week. Mr Holland: Then it has nothing to do with the Arbitration Court? Mr Massey: ! have not said so. It may have, or it may not. If the hon. gentleman has it in his mind that it is intended to go back upon the "decision of Mr Justice Stringer, he can get rid of that idea. That is not intended. (press association telegrams.) WELLINGTON, November 5. In the Legislative Council this afternoon, the Hon. G. J. Smith asked the Attorney-General whether the Government would consider the effect on the industries of the Dominion, of the recent award of the Arbitration Court granting an additional cost of living bonus, and endeavour to find some way of assisting industries to pay the bonus and so savo numbers from having to close down. Sir Francis Bell replied that the matter was receiving tho very earnest consideration of the Government, but ho could not say anything more at present. HAMILTON, November 5. .A meeting of the committee flf the Railwav Officers' branch passed a resolution "that the time had arrived to approach tho Government for a £30 bonus, to compensate partially for the increased cost of living. EDUCATION BOARD COMMENT. Tho new bonus granted by tho Arbitration Court was referred to at yesterday's meeting of the Canterbury Education Board by the chairman, Mr E. 11. Andrews. The Board, he said, was petting into deep water financially, and tho tini'e had come to proceed very slowly in tho matter of sanctioning expenditure. He was afraid that _ the Board would have to take into consideration tho question of reducing its staff. This was a serious statement to make, but the bonus would affect all local bodies adversely. The overdraft at the bank was £11,000. Wages were going up, and tho priccs of material had doubled in the past four years, and, unfortunately, tho Board was not in a position to pass such cost on like some firms could. The position was all the worse in that, at the request of the Department, tho painting of schools in the Board's district had been held over during the war, and now the Board was up against a big prngrammo of painting. He understood that one school had not been painted for something like seventeen years.. REDUCTIONS IN AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY, November 5. Tho wholesale soft-goods houses are reducing tho prices of Manchester goods, cottons and woollens, by lo to 20 per cent. It is explained that owing to a falling off in the demand, holders are anxious to reduce their stocks.