THE COST OF LIVING

Otago Witness, Issue 3215, 27 October 1915, Page 3

THE COST OF LIVING

PROPOSED BOARD OF TRADE. REPLY TO CRITICISM. STATEMENT BY SIR J. G. WARD. WELLINGTON, October 19. Since the close of the session a certain amount of adverse criticism lias beea levelled at the scheme for the establishment of a Board of to examine the problem of increased prices. The board is to be created under the Cost of Living Act, which was introduced by Sir Joseph Ward in the House of Representatives* and some people appear to be under the impression that the consumers are not going to be benefited at all by this scheme. To-day the Minister of Finance said ha was fully aware of the nature and extent of the difficulty that was confronting thousands of people of limited and mode-' rate means, and he felt very sincere sympathy with the sufferers. "‘But,” he "explained, “ the Government cannot remedy the trouble by a wave of the hand or a stroke of the pen. There are economics problems involved in the situation that cannot be settled in that simple fashion. The Government Is doing its utmost to secure relief for the consumers, particularly for those who under normal conditions have to be content with a little more than the bare necessities of life.. The Cost of Living Bill of last session was designed to give full effect to the Commercial Trusts Act of 1910 and the Regulation of Trade and Commerce Act of 1914, and to clear up several points which were not made quite plain by those measures. Many people, in criticising the Bill, appear to have overlooked the fact that it had to be read with the law already on the Statute Books. It sets up a Board of Trade consisting of the Minister of Industries and Commerce and three paid mem< bers, who will devote all their time to ths duties of their office. No doubt oapabk men with wide experience and entirely freed from other interests will be selected, and with their assistance the Minister will make representations to the Government that can be put in operation at once. The whole machinery for the regulation of prices is now provided, and it will be set in motion directly the paid members of the board are appointed. I believe the board will do excellent work and will afford all the relief than can possibly be afforded to consumers. At any rate it will stop them from being exploited by greedy tradesmen. The cost of imported cannot be regulated here. If the prices of tea, cocoa, cottons, and other things have gone up in the countries where they are produced we' cannot insist upon . imEorters selling in New Zealand at a loss, ut we can see that none makes more than a fair profit. The penalty for any breach of the law may be as much as £SOO, and the tradesman who risks having ! to pay this amount need expect no mercy l 1 when he is caught The administration of the law which I had the satisfaction of placing on the Statute Book this session is not in my hands, but I am sure the Prime Minister, who will be president of the hoard, is as much in earnest about the , matter as I am, and that he will take I care that swift retribution follows on the heels of evildoers. Applications are being invited for the three paid positions on the Board of Trade, and it is expected that practical men not connected with the civil service will be appointed.”