WAGES AND COST OF LIVING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14807, 10 October 1911, Page 5

WAGES AND COST OF LIVING.

Sir,—Your correspondent, "S," begs the question.' If Mr. .Morton is correctly reported—and without any protest to the contrary I must assume that he .isho said that he was in favour of commercial boards, so that when wages were increased the cost of living should not. bo , increased." This without any qualification." Had bo said that the cost of living should only be proportionately increased, I am with him. But to do so, he said, would; 1 mean what canuiot possibly be, if business, is. to be conducted on sound principles. ; Increased wages means that the article produced must increase in sympathy—the two go hand in hand. It is inevitab'a. I have no interest in the Manukau election, and do not wish to say one word prejudicial to Mr. Morton'.'', interests, and have no ax© to grind. Bu\, I do not .like to hear of men, making rash and impracticable statements and promises which can never be carried out or fulfilled. Our publio speakers should .remember this . for their own credit's sake;. besides, it is ian insult to an: intelligent audience. Let them carefully prepare their speeches, and then say what they mean, and mean what they say. I have no better remedy to suggest than an expert vigilance board to watch that prices are not unduly increased to the public, for we all suffer; but the question fairly bristles with difficulties, and the board would require to consist of experts representing every trade. Greybeard.