THE COST OF LIVING

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 6 August 1919, Page 8

THE COST OF LIVING

SOME HARD HITTING.

AUCKLAND, Aug. 5 'While we are on the subject of politics," said Mr Massey, "I should just like to make reference to criticism that has been levelled against, the. Coalition, and its administrative work. The Coalition was formed for two purposes namely to enable us tetter to do our full share in the war, and to keep the country prosperous during the war, an<l I contend that both objects have been achieved thoroughly a nd well. That was the sole reason for the existence-of the Coalition. It ds not possible to carry nn ordinary domestic legislation during a wa r period such as we have experienced Now, ss to adverse comment respecting our cost of living measures, I ask the people to compare the cost ot living in thua country with that in other countries. In England to-day, the cost of living is double what it :s m Isew Zealand, and in France it is 50 per cent, higher still. In Canada and America also, look where prices have | soared, compared with New Zealand i nnces,. Do you not think that if it had been possible to keep the cost of living :n those countries down to the level which we would all like to see tnoir statesmen would not have done something to effect that reduction? It is absurd to argue that nothing has been done to check the upward tendency by the statesmen of the various countries where the burden of life, is so heavy to-day. Statistics wiil show that a very great deal has been done in New Zealand to keep down the cost of living. I know that increases have pre&sed heavily on large numbers of people of small incomes. Unfortunately this was a matter it was impossible to remedy, hut i challenge the accusation that the Ujahuon Government has <i<me nothing or has failed to do everythino possible. Only this morning I saw a complaint by a member of Parliament regarding the cost of living. My recollection is that that particular member was himself on the Parliamentary' Oost of Living Commitree, which made &om e valuable recomendatuons for the tuture, but failed to discover a sme'e case of exploitation. That committee had ttie opportunity of calling for anything m the shape of evidence and papers it considered necessary for its investigation. There is provision on the Statute Hook to the effect that any trader guilty ot charging more than wil! ensure him reasonable profit, taking all circumstances into consideration, i« liable to a fine of £200, or, in the case or a company £1000. Why do not public men who complain about the Government and the cost of livino- do then- duty in regard to that clause,! and if they know of exploitation, set the law in operation against the exploiters?