RISING PRICES.

Hutt News, Volume 6, Issue 5, 5 July 1933, Page 4

RISING PRICES.

Any town, in these days, with no complaints and no requests to make, — and that in a dairying centre,-^-must be dear to the Ministerial heart. Mr Coates may have wondered whether lie was enjoying a pleasant dream, when Eltham's Mayor made his call just to assure the Acting Prime Minister of the citizens' sympathy and appreciation. If this lead of little Eltham is followed, the lot of Ministers would be happier. Or would it? Ministers may enjoy receiving requests for this, that and the other, seeing that those who ask do not have to get, promising to give the matter consideration .being the Ministerial soft answer that turneth away immediate wrath without committing the distinguished visitor. Eltham's attitude is to be commended) because it encourages selfreliance, and less dependence on a harassed Government, a leaning increasing in this land, as in many others. There are some matters in which Government aid is imperative, but many requests made by deputations are of the try-on species, and others could attain the desired objects "without recourse' to

Ministerial help, if the deputations were really in earnest. Mr Coates stressed this need for self-reliance, in his speech at Hawera, and deprecated relying mainly on outside Conferences. He was in optimistic anood and gave reasons for the faith within him that better days are approaching. There were customary generalities id his review, .but some solid figures were quoted, and there is little doubt that the national outlook is much brighter. The dominion's own. markets as well as those abroad, are witnessing a welcome rise in prices, caused mainly through, increasing demand, the healthiest possible sign. Prices advanced because of some calamity reducing stocks >6f the particular commodity, such as North American wheat, for instance, are not so gratify-" ing as when the higher quotations are due to the normal working of the law of supply and demand. "World commerce will be in a sad plight, if natural disasters are to be acclaimed/ "^STEilat all will welcome the improvement'in national trading, it must not be overlooked that rising prices must mean a rise in the cost of necessities, and that the effect on wage-values will not be insigoii-