RISE OF PRICES

Grey River Argus, 16 January 1940, Page 12

RISE OF PRICES

Fear of Conflict in Britain WORKERS SUFFERING LONDON, January 13. The potentially dangerous conflict between trade unions and the Government regarding the relation of wages and price changes, is disturbing city businessmen. Most economists warmly endorse Mr Chamberlain’s and Sir J'ohn Simon’s recent warnings about the vicious spiral which will result from rising wages and prices, and emphasise that the tendency to link wages and the cost of living is an alarming feature of the present economic situation. Public opinion is naturally less conscious of danger, but appears to favour a closer examination of the possibilities of a cost of living bonus. “The Times” strongly supports the system of family allowances, which it is believed may be introduced if the war is prolonged. The “Economist” says that sacrifices by those earning under £2oo sterling annually must be imposed bv the hook of taxation or the crook of inflation. LONDON, January 13. The “Yorkshire Observer,” dealing with the wool situation, declares that Bradford is likely to require enormous supplies of wool. A possible new source of demand is in the event of the enemy using certain kinds of poison gas when rescue squad workers will require the replacement of uni forms. BRITAIN’S ATTITUDE. WELLINGTON, January 12.

“One could not fail to be very much impressed by the general attitude, outlook, and even demeanour and bearing of the British people m their time of trial and danger,” said the Deputy-Prime Minister (the Hon. P. Fraser) in a statement in Wellington recently. Mr. Fraser recently re turned from London, where he represented New Zealand at a conrerenciof Ministers from the Dominions. “In the eyes of the people of Britain the war is a crusade against the greatest force of evil in the world today, against the greatest and most immediate menace to mankind,” sata Mr. Fraser. “They are prepared tc make any sacrifice in the cause which is sacred to them. In both the mill tary and civil war efforts the nation is as one. The manhood of the United Kingdom have responded in their hundreds of thousands to the coun try’s call. National service is accepted as an every-day fact. Wherever they are on service, in British camps in France, or in the Middle East, the;, are showing the same spirit of cheerful devotion and willingness to do their share in the life-and-death struggle against the insufferable tyranny which threatened them anc theirs.

"In industry the workers are straining every nerve to produce tilt maximum amount of munitions aud other commodities required to wag< the struggle successfully. A few hours in a munition works or any other factory will show anyone how intense and efficient the efforts of the British workers are.

"Much of the success of the transportation of British troops to France, where they arrived without the loss of a single man. was due to .the seamen and dockers, as well, as to the 1 Army, Navy, and Air Force organisations. Special mobile units of dockers have been organised, and those who volunteered for service from the ranks of the Transport Workers’ Union are most advantageously employed in many French and British ports, where ordinary dock workers were unable to cope with the additional work.

“The agricultural work of Great Britain is being organised in a more efficient and thorough fashion than ever before. Farmers and farm workers generally are putting their whole heart into the work of producng as much food as possib’e for the people of the United Kingdom. In this field the women’s land army is playing a very conspicuous part. Women and girls have left their homes by the thousands and have gone on to the farms of Great Britain to help in food production. “I had an opportunity of meeting and conferring with the War Cabinet and various Ministries, including two of very great importance to New Zealand, the Ministry of Food and the Ministry oi Shipping. It is well for. the people of New Zealand to realise chat all. ships to and from Great Britain are under the control and direction of the Ministry of Shipping. The allocation of ships to convey Dominion produce to the United Kingdm is part of the work of that Ministry, and its importance to the Dominion cannot be over-estimated. It is not necessary to point out how closely New Zealand is bound up with the activities and decisions of the Ministry of Food. “Without going into details 1 can express my opinion that the negotiations carried on by the Minister for Marketing (the Hon. W. Nash), tne High Commissioner for New Zealand (Mr. W. J. Jordan), and the ecohomic adviser in the High Commissioner’s Office (Dr. R. M. Campbell), have been satisfactory, from the point of view of both New Zealand and the Mother Country. It was laid down at the commencement of the war that New Zealand would not be a party to any exploitation of Great Britain’s need, and that fact, I believe, has been appreciated in Great Britain. J feel certain that arrangements fair to both countries will be arrived at during the whole course of the war.”