COST OF LIVING COMMISSION.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 177, 11 July 1912, Page 2

COST OF LIVING COMMISSION.

Wcllingtcn. July 10. li e I ost of Living Commission <<miinie'l its sitting to-day. John 1". Turnbull, grt err. stated that the prices of goods advanced c>'i.M’>cr:>b!y after passing under the control < ■ the Merchants’ Association. Sugar was cent retied by the Sug.-j Company and the Merchants' A<-s'n:atmn. C iiarlc'. Edward Fenton, i inlifi men haul and builder .of Wanganui tie.). said that his firm made an aui'i'H’iil with the Rai.gat'iua Timber Company to obtain supplies of tiinbo.-. but just as th.y got started 11” ir supplies of timber were cut off. the limber Company stating that they were reorganising. IVhen wit-nc-s’ firm ci iaiiicnml business Umber chopped 2- per JUKI, when they had to clear their yard the pri'-c rose 2 6.

Edv ■ird Samuel Barber, mas'rr butcher, sa’d he Rad found no r ; ng to dial with when Lining .Mick 0.~ dcad meat. He uiJ irt think there was any understanding to fix prices. Frederick William Manton, candle manufacturer. r--t:-.l tl it for some year* he bad competed v.ith. New Zealand manufacturers by importing candk-s from Australia until Nev.’ Zealand manufacture. s reituc-d their prices by Jd. a pound. Frank Meadowcron. Now Zealand manager for Cadbury Bits., said Bourneville cocoa ecu id be bought din ct from the Vftmugion branch. All relail.is were boon 1 to :-c»l at certain juices. Sing Kcc. fruiuier and greengrocer. Courtenay Flae.’. aid that he tumid the fruit markets fair and open. The Chinamen bought separately .;>:;d did nut agicr as to what prices should he charged. Richard S. Abran im. of Abraham and Williams, refu’rd a statrmen’ made by Mr. F. T. Moure about a conspiracy lxc.u?n the auctionc and the meat companies to restrict compel it i'.n al srccK sale’’. Charles C. Odl’n. Umber merchant, thought it wouid be an advantage if the duty w are removed from the large sizes cf Oregon pir.o. so that the cutting wciLJ have to r>e done here. Alexander Gal’mly. of Messrs. Bethune and land agin.s. v a<' that the avtragc red,notion in letting i allies in the last ir. e years was lo

per cent. Ji’ini nirbv, dainn;.an. M cliington. said an assoeiati'.n among milk suppliers was going to fix the price at 6d. per gallon in the 'iimmer anil 9d. in the winter. The ri t;i:l prie • yaried. James I airway, ex i t it tui 'int keep er. said that mcti. butter. !i»l:. aiiu oysters had increased in price recently. John Varci.e. g.-ucc.’. Wellington. =-.aid b.c did not. think the linos tariffc i be merchants wore numerous.

D. K. Pritchard, of the Dominion Shoe Factory, Nc.vtiiwj). said local manufactures were equal to the imported. Tim Commi'ri'm adj-mined till tomorrow.