HIGH COST OF LIVING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16506, 5 October 1915, Page 7

HIGH COST OF LIVING

GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS. BILL TO BE INTRODUCED. (From Oub Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, October 4. Further questions regarding the cost of living were put to the Prime Minister; in Parliament to-day. •'. Mr Poole asked, in view of the unsatisfactory prices of butter, wheat, etc., what stops were being, taken to ratify the promise of the National Government to deal with the excessively high cost of living. Mr Massey said tho Minister of Finance had that day given notice of the Cost of Living Bill, dealing with the prices of foodstuffs and certain matters under the Commercial Trusts and other Acts. That Bill would be introduced the next day or before the House rose. Within the last three months" there had been a considerable reduction in the price of foodstuffs. Mr Poole: What about butter? Mr Massey: I am sorry to say that butter has not been reduced. The whole matter would be dealt with in the Bill. Mr Webb pointed out that flour had dropped £4 per ton in price, but bread had not dropped- in proportion—only about id 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 bo glad to look into the question, and if necessary communicate with the commission. . . COMMERCIAL TRUSTS ACT EX- , TENDED. PROVISION FOR A BOARD.

(From Our Own Correspondent,) WELLINGTON, October 4. The Cost of L:ving Bill,: notice of tho introduction of which was given in the House of Representativ»a to-day by ■ the Minister of Finance, provides for the setting up of a board, which will havo the power of dealing with the abnormal prices of foodstuffs. In the past there were difficulties in the way of tho Government, bringing a charge of exploitation against any person or combine. It is now proposed .to alter the system inaugurated by the Commercial Trusts Act of last session, and provide for the appointment .of a board, which will haye power at any time to call upon merchants to show that the price they are charging for any particular commodity is fair and justifiable. The scope of the present Act will be considerably extfnded in regard to the classes of goods to be dealt with.