CHASING A WILLO -THE-WISP.

Evening Star, Issue 16350, 16 February 1917, Page 2

CHASING A WILLO -THE-WISP.

TO TIIE EDITOIi

bir, —Our Boa d of Trade are indulging in a will-o'-thc-wisp hunt, trying to devise or invent artificial means to reduce the cost of living; but most people will admit that they have not been very successful. They are only beating Hie air, as a saving of a nc.nnv a week here and another there will not mend mutters to an appreciable extent. Everyone knows that the only sure wav to lessen the cost of living is “to exercise economy in the us* 1 of articles which are not really necessaries .and in a time like the oresent, when shipping is so scarce, to niinimiso or avoid the use of imported n-Qojs That economies can be effected will be admitted when I state, on the ar-thoriiy of statistics, that in this Dominion wo consume five times as much sugar per head as any other community, three’ times as much tea, and four limes as much butcher meat.

t V' - ol 'der to show the pace at which we aro hvmg, I append a list of the value of imported articles for 1914, which may be taken as a guide for the current year" and will make reflecting people think.

Jewellery and fancy goods 433 930 i Miscellaneous 2.039^50 Foedslnits of vegetable origin (including salt) .. £1,827,999 Beverages (non-alcoholic) and substances used in making nt> s?™ %■■■ 550,670 Spirits and alcoholic liquors ... 614 C? 9 A PP are l 2,509(211 T«:uloa 2,440.214 £10,970,979 When all tins is divided amongst a million people, young and old, rich and poor, it docs seem, what might bo termed, good going, . Teetotallers, it would appear, are as great sinners as consumers of alcoholic liquors, as fcotii spend over half a. million on imported goods; but teetotallers pay less duty, and, as Lloyd George puts it, arc more clnrivc than consumers of alcohol. Ail this million and moro is, however, spent to quench t'nim, • when water would have done it equally wcli. ! Over 600,000, plus duty, goes off in tobacco ' smoko, and “ apparel,which I suppose the ! ladies know something about, costs no loss i than two and a-hnlf niillions.

It has been said very truly (hat the publichouse and the drapers shop arc. the burialplaces of many British soveieigns. " Textiles ” are really necessaries, I sup- ' | pose, as we must bo clothed, hut if “ Miscc’l-. laneous,” which accounts for over two rail. | lions, includes motor cars, as I cannot na-e them under any other heading, it is high time the Board of Trade turned their alien- i tion to imports and gave the farmers a rest.! They may bo compelled to do it later, :,a,; i had better take time, by the forelock in order! to reduce the cost of living effectually. | Let us drink-less, smoko less, ami let oura young women, who flock to picture show? at ! night, spend their evenings as their mothers j and grandmothers did, by making their own 1 clothing, instead of importing ready-made! “Reach-me-downs,” probably mads up b.- ! some poor creature in a slum area. —I am, i .. etc.. Paterfamilias. • 5 February 14.

“ I can sec at a glance, madam,’’ said tho experienced hawker, “that you would not b»3 interested Ln the preparation I ain selling, except possibly as a" gift to some of your neighbors.’’ “What are you * e ;i. mg? 1 ’ tho lady of the house inquired, with interest. “A facial beauty preiiaration, madam,’' ho replied.