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New Zealand Times, Volume XLV, Issue 10450, 1 December 1919, Page 10

The high cost of living fa now arousing much greater interest' throughout France than any other subject, writes the Paris correspondent of tho "Morning Post." Tho appeal of M. Noulens, tha new food controller, to every consumer to assist in the war on profiteers is receiving a surprisingly large response not only in Paris but throughout the whole country, and day by day the movement gains strength. Erve»ry day news is received of the formation of new leagues of consumers and vigilance committees, as the campaign spreads from quarter to quarter to Paris and from town to town in tho proline**. Experience is showing that .apart from the inevitable rise in prices resulting from tho scarcity of freight and other factors due to the present unsettled conditions, a very large proportion of tho oxceorive cost of necessaries is directly attributable to the unwarrantably high rate of profit added by tho French retailer, and the efforts or the various consumers" organisations are at present iwlely direoted towards curbing tho rapacity of tho average shopkeeper. Already in many iaiftiuices tho reductions in prioo have been startling, and have amply proved tho suooess of tho consumer*' campaign. Potatoes fell from 7d to 2iA per lb, eggs from 5Jd to 3Jd, rabbits from 4s to 2s 9d per lb, cauliflowers from Is Gd to lOd each, TVenoh beans froin lOd to Z\i, per lb, and cabbages from 5d to 2d each; while fowls, which before the arrival of tho dolegates were marked at prices Tanginj, from 12s flcl to 20s each, according to .sire, dropped suddenly after their presence became known, 8s to 123.