INFLATION OF PRICES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 51, 28 August 1914, Page 2

INFLATION OF PRICES

AN APPEAL TO THE GOVERN- , MENT. (BY tELEUIUrn.— PRESB ASSOCIATION.) DUNEDIN, 27th August. Mr. T. 11.I 1 . Ritchie, president .of the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society, telegraphed to-day to the Prime Minister as follows:""" I am directed to forward you the following resolution passed at our meeting this morning: — ' Urge you to bring into force earliest date possible Protection of Trade Act, at any rate as far as wheat and oats are concerned. There seems to be evidence of attempted inflation of prices, which shortly will be much above actual value. Suggest you take steps promptly, pending appointment Commissioners, to get your Department ascertain quanfci* ties held by merchants in stores on their own and farmers' accounts, ascertaining also from merchants their estimate of what is held in the country, to save time in approaching farmers direct. If the British Government require large quantities of oats, the price they will have to pay through exploitation by epecii' lators and holders will be unduly heavy, and be a sorry evidence of selfish instead of unselfish ' interest in the welfare of the Empire.' " The Prime Minister later in the day telegraphed _ the following reply :— " I am in receipt of your telegram of to- , day's date, for which many thanks, j We are endeavouring to meet the difficulty which has arisen, ahd a commission under the Regulation of Trade and Commerce Act recently passed by Par* liament iB now being set up, and will begin its work as soon as possible."