WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 March 1917, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

COST OF LIVING,

MOUNTING UP. (SvECIAI TO "SrAS-"j WELLINGTON. March 12. It is scarcely necessary to remind the average housewife that the cost of living continues to mount up will) the prolongation oi the win', but the ia.-'t number ot the Abstract of Statistics, the useful little brochure issued each month by the Goven ■11; ■■< Svatsejiu.un. ■. ■-• ■'■ -is svr.'ic figures bearing on the subject, which will enable the rest of the community to appreciate the magnitude of her troubles. Mr Malcolm Fraser has set out the facts of the position with admirable clearness, tracing the rise of prices in three food groups—groceries, dairy produce, and meat—from the beginning' of the war down to the present time in each of the twenty-five representative towns in the Dominion: but ai.parentlv swine uf the newspapers, in coif.mentiiig upon his table, showing the percentages of increase, have not quite understood its meaning. The percentages are calculated from the local price- before where prices were low in the first half of 1914 mav be represented as having a larger percentage increase tli.m a town where prices were iu-j.li during that period, though the actual increase may be substantially less. LOCAL IMUiKS. As illustrating this point the cases of I'aimerslou North'and Gisboruo may be taken. In duly. 1914, according to the Government 'Statistician. Ihdmerstc-u North was selliii'.: the commodities included in the three groups at lower prices taken as a whole, than was any other town in ' the Dominion, while Gisborne was among the towns in which prices were high. But Palmerstou North, having brought its prices up to the average war level, is n ( ,\v shown to have increased them by 38.78 per cent., the largest percentage" increase in the list, while Gisborne, where prices are now higher than anywhere else in the country, is credited with an increase of only 36.72 per centThe vest view of the position is obtained from the table showing how much money is required to day in each town to pur. chase a given quantity of commodities which could be purchased before the war for a sovereign. This places the_ twenty five representative towns in the following order:-- -Blenheim 25s Dunedin 25s 4|d, Nelson 25s sA<t. Timaru 25s 73d, Ashburton 25s lit,-]. N,.w Plymouth 25s libl, Christohurch 25s ll'.d,' Wellington 265. 3J,d. Masterton 26s 4i.d, Napier 26s 7§d, Oamaru 26s 8-'d, Wanganui 26s 9 d, Dannevirke 26s IOJd. Gore 26s lOfd, Greymouth 27s 2i,d, Whangarei 27s 2|d, Alex, andria 27s 3;d, Rotcma 27s 3d. Waihi 27s 10d. Taihape 27s lib!, and Gisborne 23s The groat bulk of the increases took place during the first year of the war, but there have been gradual increases ever since.

THE RAILWAY COMMISSION. The member for Unit is not the only person .here surprised by a statement attributed to Mr E. H. Hiiey. in a report appearing in one of the local papers of the evidence ho .cave before the Railway Commission in Christchureh on Saturday. "At first," the summary of the'General Manager's remarks, run, "he regarded Mr Wilford's statements as rather frivolous, and wrote to Mr Hemes offering reports from responsible officers, and said hedid not think an inquiry was necessary. When the papers were laid on the table and Mr Wilford repeated his statements and said he believed the statement of his informant as against the considered statement of the responsible officers, he, with other officers of the Department, asked for an inquiry. He considered it would have been unwise not to have done so." Evidently Mr Kiley was under an entire misapprchension'as to what really occurred. Mr Wilford spoke, as he was compelled by 'the absurd rides of the House to do, before the reports from the responsible officers were laid on the table, and he was followed by the .Minister, who assured him that when lie saw the papers he would be perfectly satisfied. Of course, the mem. ber for'llutt had had no previous opportunity to see the papers and when they were'accepted by the House he regarded the incident as'closed, till he heard of Hie appointment of the Commission which he had neither sought nor suggested. MEMBER FOR HAWKES BAY.

Sir John Kiudlay, the'"now member for Hawkcs Bay, returned to Wellington this evening, and received the congratulations of his friends upon his victory. The eontest seems to have been a very strenuous one from the lirst mid to have kept the candidates and their active supporters hard at work till the very last vote was recorded. The poll was larger than was generally expected in the district, there being a feeling abroad that both the members of the. Labour party and the rank and file of the Reform party would abstain form voting, but it still fell a long wav short of the returns at the general election. Sir John mde an excellent impression on the platform whenever he spoke, and his local friends are confident, of his being able to hold the seat when he is better known in the constituency and has had an opportunity to dissipate the rather narrow parochialism that was so hugely exploited during the campaign. On this'point and upon the popular assumption that he is to be offered a seat in the National Cabinet Sir John refuses to be drawn, but he declares his aspirations go no further than to win the approval of his constituents .and to fill the place.. where lie may render the best to them, lo the' Dominion and In llm I'-"' pire.