COST OF LIVING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16824, 7 April 1915, Page 6

COST OF LIVING.

CONSIDERED BY TIMBER WORKERS' FEDERATION.

STATE ASSISTANCE WANTED.

At the annual conference of the New Zealand Federated Sawmills, Timber Yards and Coal Yards Employees yesterday the cost of living came np in the following remit from Canterbury : "That the Government be urged to establish a State farm for grain growing, a Stato Hour mill and State bakeries, with a view to preventing any further exploitation of the consumers." In moving the remit Mr H. Hunter said that the Government had established State farms to assist farmers, had suleidised steamship lines, and had appointed' business commissioners to find new outlets for New Zealand products. All those things had cost raonev. and the general taxpayer had paid it. The result was that New Zealand food supplies cost more at the factory door than in the markets on the other side of the world. It was time that something was done for the consumer, and if the Government would take action along the linos ot the remit it would benefit both consumer and producer. For years tlie wheat market had been regulated by merchants. Price* for wheat went down just before the crop came in. and -as uiauv small growers could not afford to hold they did not get a fair return, while the big man cou'«' ho ! d and reap the higher prices. A millers' association had control of practically oven- flour mill in New Zealand, and" reaued the eutirc profit caused by a protective tariff. He knew that the Stato did not now own much land suitable for grain growing, but it could resume land that was suitable. A tetate flour mill was very necessary, and Stato bakeries", on the hues proposed in New South Wales, would' reduce the cost, of living. ~ , . Air K. Phelaii (Auckland) said that there could be no doubt that the consumer.- were being exploited, and as a workers' lederation they should protest. The State had started a coal mine to reduce thn price of coal, and a State insurance department to break the insurance ring, and both had been a success. Mr Massey had hinted at starting bakeries, " if bread goes up much further," so that they were following his lead. The Government had imported wheat and sold it at a los.- to millers, who had promptly sold at lull market rates. . The remit was adopted unanimously.