HIGH COST OF LIVING

Otago Witness, Issue 3212, 6 October 1915, Page 31

HIGH COST OF LIVING

■ ■ GOVERNMENT’S INTENTIONS. '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 steps were being taken to ratify the promise of the National Government to deal with the excessively high cost of living. Mr Massey said the Minister of Finance had that day given notice of the Cost of Living Bill, dealing with the prices of foodstuffs and certain matter's 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. Ho understood that the law .gave the Food Commission power to deal with the matter. Mr Massey said ho had been informed that the reduction was Id per 41b loaf, ,vit.h a further Id in the case of cash over the counter where no delivery took place. Ho would bo glad to look into the question, and if necessary communicate with the commission.