COST OF LIVING COMMISSION.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 176, 10 July 1912, Page 3

COST OF LIVING COMMISSION.

Wellington, July 9

Giving evidence before the Cost of Living Commission to-day ,Stanley S. Brown, managing director of Samuel Brown, Limited, said Westport coal cost ex wharf £l5 - per ton and cartage to the yard 1/6 per ton. With all costs the price rose to £l/13/8. The average selling price was £l/l&/7. At present there were 32 coal dealers in Wellington. There was perfectly free competition here. Edward Bull, secretary and manager of the New Zealand Candle Company, said the price of candles had not gone up in recent years. Merchants never had anything to do with fixing the prices in Wellington. His firm would sell to any merchant.

William Simin, manager of the Wellington branch of the D.T.C., said he had been in the drapery trade £9 years, and had noticed no appreciable rise in the price of drapery or men’s clothing during the last ten years. William Thomas Young, secretary of the Seamen’s Union, handed to the Commission tables of wages and prices which he had prepared. He had also prepared a statement showing the. amount earned in fares, according to ruling charges, by the steamer Maori, the total increase in receipts per annum resulting from an increase of 5 per cent, in fares, and the estimated additional cost to the owners per annum as the result of the recent agreement entered into with the Seamen’s Union. He estimated the increased income at £2535. and the increased cost owing to the wages increase at £930, leaving a balance in favour of the owners oi £1575 per annum. This increase ir income dealt only with fares. Freights he did not touch upon at all. That increase was put on not withstanding that the company had been making a huge profit, from £190.000 to £200,000 per annum.

Charles Cathie, clothing manufacturer ,said that there had been a rise in the price of clothing owing to the better quality demanded, but the principal lines, though costing more were sold at the same price as formerly. There was no association to regulate pi ices. William Henry Millward, chair man of directors of the Gear Meat Company, handed in a table showing meat prices at present as compared wita 1890. Seven items were unchanged, and nine were higher now 7 than in 1893 The Gear Company’ belonged to ro Master Butchers’ Association.

Alfred Earnest Donne, secretary of the Wellington Woollen Manufacturing Company, said that the advance in the cost of labour was about 20 per cent. C. P. Skerrett, K.C., said that Mr. J. G. W. Aitkin had desired him to make a statement on his behalf to the Commission, so that he might not exhibit any personal discourtesy to any member of the Commission. Mr. Tregear: The Commission is not prepared to hear any statement from Mr. Aitkin. If you appear as his counsel he declines to. appear himself.

Mr. Skerrett: All I desire to add is to very respectfully enter my protest against the action of the Commission in refusing to hear any explanation.