CONTROL OF FOODSTUFFS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16460, 9 February 1917, Page 9

CONTROL OF FOODSTUFFS

MORE DRASTIC MEASURES. if'-? f-Jyif W'X i i* y?f^' : ??"'4f''?-'^\? ;}PROBABLE "NEXT:'SESSION.'' J | STATEMENT BY .; MINISTER. •{ [BT telegraph.—press association.] S ■''. „ WELLINGTON, Thursday. i A deputation from the City Council waited on the Hon. J. Allen ~ to-night, in reference to the cost of living. • ■In-reply, Mr. ■ Allen ' referred to i what the Government had done to restrict the /price of necessities. He. joined with the deputation in t , appealing' to . farmers , who had suitable, land to ; put in enough wheat for the needs' of the people. As the result of fixing the p*rice"of wheat the Government j had stopped any increase in the price of i bread. Living was cheaper than 1, in Australia or England, and Cabinet had done everything humanly possible to limit' prices, and in some cases to decrease them. | The Hon. G. W. Russell interjected j that* figures compiled by the Government, statistician showed that between January ! 1, 1916, and December 31, 1916, the cost' of: living, excluding I rent, had only increased 7.63 cent. This covered all ; the necessaries of ,life. ~ ;,■• .{^./',!' Mr. Allen,'continuing, said that, practically speaking,' the Dominion Government had vno j control over freight rates, they being fixed by the Imperial Govern- , ment. The shipping companies paid largely increased taxation, and he would have the figures published. The Govern- ' ment had no power to requisition shipping except for military purposes. In regard to taking surplus war profits, the difficulty was to ascertain what those profits were, because other profits than war profits were made. v, .'> 'W ','" The Hon. W. D. 8. Mac Donald also spoke, | pointing !! out the >, impossibility';" of framing legislation to meet every question. He was tryin" to arrange for action in regard to meat, similar to that taken in Auckland, in other places from which the request came. With reference to wheat, the position to-day was they would have to import wheat before the end of the.year.;, .The action, taken fby the Government would, safeguard the interests of the country, and was; an endeavour to provide,, sufficient bread for the future. Next session the Government would have vfe introduce ,- more drastic :• legislation - to . control the foodstuffs of the country. He was confident of that. / j