COST OF LIVING

Evening Star, Issue 17155, 23 September 1919, Page 9

COST OF LIVING

WHAT THE WOMEN HAVE TO SAY. • A POWERFUL IMPEACHMENT OF i. PROFITEERING. I The following letter, which has been addressed to tho Prime Minister, explains 5 j itself:— '•.. The Women's National Council (WelI j lington branch) have been watching with i great interest the attempts made by Par- [ , liament to grapple with the Cost of Living . ! problem. In fact, the council were on the s ! ova of asking you to receive a deputation -i oi women who have suffered } but this ■ | lapsed on the appearance of the Board of; Trade Bill. This letter is to wish tho new Board of Trade every success. At I i I the same time, there are certain matters i| we wish to lay before you from the j woman's point of view. They are as . j follow : (1) Prices of Food. —In view of the I plentiful supplies of meat, fish, and fruit, ! something should be done to regulate the ' prices of these commodities so that tho ' consumer can buy at a cheaper rate. In the case of meat," the council have letters jin their possession which state that tho fanner receives about £1 for a sheep. When sold by the retailer the carcass yields- from £3. 10s to £4, according to weight. -Allowing for inflation of the currency, and the fact that our prices are , affected by those prevailing in the Home ' markets, still the Women's Council are of | opinion that meat should be cheaper than - it is at present for the people of Zea- ' land. Even rabbits, which once sold for 1 Is. are now retailed for Is 8d without skins, ] (2) Fish and Fruit.—Certain kinds of fish and fruit are plentiful in New Zealand. Yet the prices are always high,- nor in the 1 seasons of the greatest plenty do they show signs of any corresponding reduction in price. Tii'e council therefore suggest that .investigations be made as to whether improved methods of transport, distribution, and the establishment of markets would help in reducing the prices of these commodities. In regard to fish markets, Auckland to run hers very successfully, her profits for last year being, it is said, £5,000. What Auckland can do, surely other New Zealand towns can do, too. As for fruit, the advantages,of markets seem to be very much on the side of the .general public. The case of the barrowmen offers strong evidence in favor. For instance, barrowmen have stated that ; they could sell tomatoes at 4d per lb at a profit, when the shops were charging 8d a lb, | (3) Drapery.—Here the council can a tale unfold. Rumor hath it that towels which cost 9s per dozen to land have been sold for 36s per dozen; that women's coats, made in New Zealand for £3 7s lOd, have beon sold in Wellington for 6gs to llgs; that colonial blankets that were retailed ; in 1914 at 17s 6d, 255, 28s 6d per pair, were in 1918 retailed at 32s 6d, 455, and j 52s 6d per pair respectively; and so on. j In other cases, too numerous to quote, the ! same sad story runs, and in these instances i Rumor is not' the lying jade she is supj posed to be, for the Women's Council have corroborative evidence in their possession, I and they hope that the new Board of j Trade will not consider such profits "reasonable." Women are looking to the new board to remedy all these ills. (4) Waste.—The council have noted that the new board are to deal with those who hoard or refuse to sell; but should they not also deal with those who wilfully waste in order to keep up prices? In some cases, to prevent prices falling, it is be-

I corning the custom in this country to throw I away large quantities of fish and fruit, and | even to send quantities of drapery t;> the destructor. Such practices should be regarded as criminal! There are women's societies which could receive these things and distribute them among the poor of Wellington. It is to be hoped that the new board will look into this matter of waste, with a view to drastic action. Finally, sir, the Women's .Council of Wellington are quite ready to admit that each section of the community is entitled to make profits within certain limits. At the same time, they would point out that the idea is fast gaining ground that no profits should be considered " reasonable " when made at an excessive coat to, and often at a deprivation of, the community at large. Further, it is a serious matter I when mothers of families are forced to go ! out to work because the husband's income : in the present conditions is often not large ! enough to feed, clothe, and educate the i children. Many mothers are finding present conditions almost intolerable. Again, to the" peoples on fixed salaries, to pensioners, and some of our lower-paid wage-earners the inflation of the currency has brought extremely hard times. Hoping, therefore, that the suggestions made by the Women's Council will be seriously considered by the new board, and thanking you for your efforts in this matter—We are, N. E. Goad, President. Lyba. Taylor, Secretary.