PRICE OF FOOD.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 86, 11 April 1912, Page 8

PRICE OF FOOD.

HON. G. LAURENSON'S VIEWS Municipal milk scheme advocated. Interesting references to tho cost of living and the milk supply problem wore made by tho Hon. G. Laurenson (Minister for Labour) when addressing the Timber Workers' deputation, to-day. Tho Minister quoted a. publication by Mr. M'llwraith, who took ac a basis the period from 1890 to 1899, when the- fluctuations in the prices of foodstuffs wore le&s than usual. Mr. Laureneou had held the opinion that the ccst of living had increased enonnoucly, but it appeared that in that period, the increaso was only three per 'cent. The writer admitted the large rise in the prices of butter, meat, and bacon, but claimed a. tremendous fall in the prices of augar, kerosene, tan, tapioca, and rice, which balanced matters. He (Mr. Laurenson) had written tho author and suggested that he should make calculations concerning the cost to a family. "Tho milk question," Mr. Laurenson continued, "ought to be dealt with by municipalities. I know lam on thin ico now, but I am not afraid. The farmer will tell you that if he can get sevenpence a. gallon throughout the year he 'is getting a good price. If you take a city like Wellington, assuming the population to be 80,000, the consumption of milk would average a quarter of a pint per day. If the milk is sold at lOd per gallon there is 3d for distribution, which would give a- very big revenue. Eight or ten milk carts will go to each street under our' competitive system — a silly one, I call it, bufc under a municipal system, the cost of distribution would be reduced by 75 per cent._ I know the milk distributing fraternity will be up against me, but that doesn't matter."