ITALIAN TURMOIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 18143, 8 July 1919, Page 5

ITALIAN TURMOIL.

COST OF LIVING CAUSES RIOTS.

ATTEMPTS TO CONTROL PRICES

By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association.

(Received July 7, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, July 6. The .“Daily Chronicle’s” Milan correspondent states that the Government is trying to cope with a violent popular rebellion against dear living, particularly in Tuscany, Romagna and tho Marches by establishing State control. Hitherto the joint profits of producers and middlemen have been .anything up to 400 per cent. The authorities at Rome enforced a reduction to 50 per cent on foodstuffs and 25 per cent, on clothing. The State proposes to distribute food over the country through a committee, limiting tradesmen’s profits to 10 per cent. There was wholesale pillage at Florence, Leghorn and Bologna- A hundred rioters were' wounded at Florence, several were killed, , and a thousand were arrested.

MILAN’S ULTIMATUM,

Australian and N.Z. Cable Aasocivion. (Received July 7. 8.10 p.m.) LONDON, July 6. The “ Daily Chronicle’s ” Milan correspondent reports that tho local authorities and Labour leaders in Milan sent an ultimatum to the Government to tho effect that there must be a radical remedy by Monday or a general strike would be declared. They demanded a 50 to 70 per cent abatement in prices of all primo necessaries of life.

’The agitation in Genoa and elsewhere has been lulled by forced sales of goods at half price.