HIGH COST OF LIVING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16040, 5 October 1915, Page 9

HIGH COST OF LIVING.

GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS.

BtLL TO BE INTRODUCED.

[BT TELEGHAPH. —si

Wellington, Monday. Further questions regarding the cost of £mg were asked the Prime Minister in Parliament to-day. Mr. C. H. Poole (Auckland West)" asked in view of the unsatisfactory prices of butter, wheat, etc., what steps were being taken to ratify the promise of the National Government to deal wit!, the excessive high cost of living. - ° Mr. Money, in reply, said the Minister for Finance had that day given notice of the Cost of Living Bill, dealing with the! prices °.l !o ??* tufis and certain mattersunder the Commercial Trusts and other Acts, and tnat would be introduced the £*?*. tl' , or before thc House rose. Within the last three months there had o To' 6 ™l'l61' 16 reduction in the price Mr. Poole- What about butter? , Air. Massey: "1 am sorry to say that butter has not been reduced." The whole matter would be dealt with in the Bill. a \ P j 9' Webb < Gre pointed out that flour had dropped £4 per ton in price, but £?*: . , not PPed in proportion, onlv aboutJ,d per 21b loaf. He understood that the law gave the Food Commission power to deal with the matter, Mr. Massey said he had been, informed that the reduction was Id per 41b loaf, with a further Id in the case of cash over the counter, where no delivery took place. | He would be glad to look into the question and, if necessary, communicate with he commissioner.