COST OF LIVING

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 1, 1 July 1912, Page 3

COST OF LIVING

■ „ ■»!.,. SITTINGS IN AUCKLAND. [BT TELEGRAPH — PRESS ASSOCIiiIOM.] AUCKLAND. 29th June. The Ccst of Living Conuniseion resumed this morning. Mi*. G«o. Davis, secretary of the Drivers' Union, stated that th© rate of wages for drivers was:— One horse, £2 4s ; two horses, £52 8s ; and three horse*-, £2 10. The men. experienced considerable, difficulty in Jiving on these wages. There had • been 1 practically no increase in tho price of wages sinco 1902, as far as drivers were concerned. It had been •tated that there had "been a- "slowing down," but that was not- so. It was possible , that there was not the same amount of work done, but that was due to 'other reasons. Mr. William Frederick Bines, coal dealer and general carrier, said that he had belonged to the association. Price* were always fixed by the association for retailers, and, if any member sold below these prices, his supplies were stopped. Sir. Albert Crumb, manager ot tho New Zealand Brick and Tile Company, eaid that a few years ago the price of bricks was 45s per 1000. To-day it w£s 46s 6d, after allowing for discounts and commissions. The public paid 495, less 2s 6d. The brickmaking establishments agreed among themselves as to the price at which bricks were to be sold. Mr. Bell, manager of the Union Soap and Candle Company, attended, and swore that Hall and Company were merchants who hs/i wanted to enter into a two years' contract with his company for a supply of candles, notwithstanding the denial that had been, made on the previous day. On the suggestion of the chairman, witness undertook to draw up a signed affidavit to this effect. Mr. W. B. Leyland, manager of the Leyland and O'Brien Timber Company, •tated that, at the^company's Customsstreet mill, 76 N men and boys in 1906 were receiving weekly wages averaging £138 12s 6d, as against £195 15e in 1912. This was an increase of 41 per ofem. Out of 60 men, mill and yard hands, now at work in' the mill, 24 were receiving more than the award wages, or, say, 40 per cents Touching on the question of the cost of production and the retail price, witness stated that the royalties on kauri had quadrupled. Ten years ago bush wage 6 were 35s to 45s per week and found, while at present they were 57s 6d to 70s and found. , Mr. Adam Nixon, engineer for the Devonport Steam Ferry Company, gave evidence regarding the fishing industry. He stated that tho price of f£h had advanced , 100 per cent. WELLINGTON QUESTIONS. The Cost of Living Commission will open in Wellington at 11 a.m. to-mor-row, and members of the public are invited to give evidence. The questions to be submitted to witnesses' are :— 1. Has the cost of living increased in New Zealand during tho past twenty years? If so, has that increase been more marked during the last ten than during the previous ten years? 2. Has that increase, if any, been more marked in New Zealand than in other English-speaking countries? 3. To what extent is the increased cost of living, if any, the result of a higher standard of living? 4. In what special direction has the' increase, if any, been most' marked — (a) , rent, (b) food, (c) clothing, (d) lighting and fuel, (c) househfcld neceacaries, (f) medical attendance, etc., Is) education? x ■ • , V 6/ 5. To what extent have monopolies, combines, trnsts, and other associations of manufacturers or sellers of the" necessaries of life contributed to the rise in prices ? A 6. What has been the effect on prices of the tariff reduction ? 7. .T0 what extent, if any, has the rise in the price of land during the past twenty years contributed to the rise in tho price of commodities? 8. What effect has the demand for New Zealand products beyond *.tho Dominion had on prices of such , commodities ? 9. What effect, if any, ha* the labour legislation had on the increase in the prices of the commodities of life ? 10. What influence, if any, has the value of gold had out the coet of living? ' • 11. What effect have the movements pf the urban and the rural populations had on tha coat of living? 12. What causes generally have brought about the increased cost of living ? 13. What steps, should be taken with a. view .to reducing the costs of the necessaries of life?