THE OAMARU MAIL MONDAY, MARCH 15, 1920. THE PRICE OF BREAD.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14010, 15 March 1920, Page 4

THE OAMARU MAIL MONDAY, MARCH 15, 1920. THE PRICE OF BREAD.

"A Mother." whose letter appears in another part-of-this issue, has placed'us under an obligation, not so much because of her complimentary, reference to our advocacy of a Government subsidy

£6 millers in order to keep down the price of bread, as for the emphasis she lends to our contention. This she does by calling attention to the added hardship that a rise in the price of bread inflicts upon' women who hare families to maintain—-widows and wives wedded to dissolute or lazy husbands who fail to do their duty to their families. We readily' comply with our correspondent's request to ''put in a word" for this, class, of sufferers by the'rise in_ the price of. bread. As the- writer' points out, these women bread-winners do not par

ticipate in the constant advance in wages to meet the "persistent rises i» the cost of living, and the new imposi must inevitably fall heavily-upoui.theb already overburdened shoulders. No thing * has ever been said by anyone more- strongly in support of a State subsidy in order to keep the indispen sable loaf at a reasonable price than the 'simple sentences penned by _"A Mother," and such an appeal as she puts .forwa/d on; behalf of a sorely tried class ought* to command sym' paihetio action, on the part of the Government. Of all who are touched by the increase in the price of bread none are hit so hard as the mothers who are the bread-winners for' families, who are entitled to N a great deal! more'sympathy, than they "receive, - especially from* .the powers that-be. r. We fear that there is warrant- for our correspondent's statement that "the mother of a family receives but" little thought or care in fchesw day? whei> .maternity is viewed

with small favor." Children are not, it is-humiliating to _have to' cohfeSK,_]ooked upon as : bjessings. to 'be wrelcomed. Ond/hhs only • to note' the "manner in which they* .'are; .viewed in a railway carriage or. a. tramcar> or. anywhere else where mothers .are compelled; on occasions to-take -them anto, the* company- of, a number of r people. ..They are; indeed, riot .I'hfrequcntly : .. : l66'&d..-.. - a^ i 'asisance. : , .&s, trpuMesome*ih traders, and" little general encouragement ds given :to 'xompliancie with tbe-l'ate.Mr Seddpn's appeabto the women of the Dpininiori to _i''keep the crad lesf ul 1.". ; lit' is ' at; thro ugh. the of jir-Seddon much has'" been done by the- creation : of nursing homes to deal-in-an efficient and ecouo.mid mariner :with; maternity? peases,; ■thd the good work lifts, been '•- supplemerited by the institution; of the'Pluhliet Nurses system. Something, more Jias also been -done by the initiation of State maternity/, allowances, but- this tneasui e o,f help; is-circurilscribed in its application, being confined;to.cpiitribur; tors to the 'Natipnal Provident- Fund and members ' of Erie'ndly, ; Societies. : Outsi de oT '*he. ranks of; /these berieficiares there hre a .great: maily -\ -parents who are "equally entitled' to\ consideration, and'Mi- Massey would -add someJ- ! "-.hing to his ; popularity if■■ he gave prac- \ Meal. attention, to the, subject. Something more is.yhowever; called for. arid •'•hat. is -tjba't -mothers generally should receive the; sympathy accorded the honor thas is "tliejr'due as teal 'vuilders of. a nation. This; is,, however, a digression-froin our primary purpose, which is to emphasise the view of the bread nuestion'r put foi-war4 by "A Mother.''*' .-l- : ".:--- -- S ; .-. ■'..,-■