COST OF LIVING.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 29 August 1912, Page 4

COST OF LIVING.

FORECAST OF THE COMMISSION'S REPORT.

itiNITKD PItES3 ASSuCIAItON.X

WELLINGTON, This Day. According to a' forecast, of the Cost of Living Commission's report, published to-day. some glaring _ instances -of dishonesty in the net weight of tinned and packet gjods were disclosed in evidence, - and the Government will be asked to deal with the matter; , The cost of living, it is shown,"has increased during the past 20 years, and mors especially in the last ten; but at the same time the standard of living has increased fairly rapidly. The prices of commodities, however, have gone up at a greater ratio than thy advanpe in .in-' ; comes, Whence t|ae, cry pf. incased cost of living, though the power to purchase may be much glutei,*, thAt l . as before' the' upward. tendency of wages

began. ; .Notwithstanding the fact that increases. ha,ve taken place 111 the \Vtiges earned, the producing capacity of labour lias oti the whole increased.a-t a. greater ratio to wages. This probably applies more in regard to : manufacturing processes than to distribution, the cist of,which lias increased, while the, cost of production.has decreased. The increased ability to produce, together ■yyith thV higher prices of Now. Zealand products, has resulted in largely increased land values. The increase in the cost of living is nob more marked in New .Zealand than elsewhere. It- is a world-wide movev-v men 1., to which monopolies;. ..trusts, and I combines have in some measure contri- ( butcd. ' V " The trend of evidence has been to show tlint, monopolies exist here. Reductions in the tariff have not always assisted consumers, and the demand fir New Zealand products outside has undoubtedly raised the price,of farrcproduce to New Zealand consumers. Whether the rise in the price of land has been the cause or the. effect of the high prices ruling for commodities is a point that may tie fairly debated. The Commission does not expect to bp. able to make recommendations that can be put in force immediately ; but their finding's will indicate the course that legislation should take,. : '