THE COST OF LIVING.

Southland Times, Issue 17655, 12 February 1916, Page 5

THE COST OF LIVING.

There are rumours of dissension within the Cabinet in consequence of the delay which has occurred in setting up the Board of Trade provided for in the Act hurried through towards the end of last session. In accordance with (he provisions of the Act applications for the throe well-paid positions in the Board were invited by advertisement some three months ago. The time for receiving applications expired on the 15th November, and though it was understood that many applications had been received no appointments have yet been announced. The suggestion is that soma members of the Nation Cabinet are extremely dissatisfied with the delay, and that their displeasure may tak® the form

of resignation unless something is done to give effect to the intention of the. legislature in passing this Act. These reports may or may' not he true, but apart from the question of feeling in the Cabinet it is highly desirable that the Board of Trade should he constituted and set about its work without delay'. The power to set it up was given to the Government mainly with a view to attacking the problem of the cost of living. The idea is that the Board should consist of experts clothed with special powers designed for the protection of the public against anything in the nature of exploitation, and that as far as possible prices should be controlled to keep down the cost of living. We believe that such a Board would he exceedingly' useful at the present time. Possibly' it could make no great difference so far as the cost of living is concerned, but it could certainly make enquiries and by its reports educate the public in regard to the causes of the general Advance in prices and the probable effect of an.v attempt to interfere with the, normal course of the markets. The trouble in regard to the cost of living rises mainly from the fact that the public is very naturally suspicious. When the w'hole sale merchant or retailer explains that the cost of manufacture has increased, that freights have increased, that the expenses of conducting his business have increased, and that the increase in the price of his goods is no more than is sufficient to counter-balance the increase in his expenses, the consumers are pardonably sceptical. They w’onld like the opinion of someone less closely interested. They want someone ■whose position makes him quite impartial to investigate and explain, and it appears to us that there is a wide field here for the Board of Trade to w r ork in. Wherever exploitation exists it should ho dragged into the' light of day and punished: wherever the opportunity presents itself to the State to check the upward movement of prices the State should act under competent advice; w’herever there is an adequate and satisfactory ’explanation for increased prices the public should have the explanation from sources that cannot he doubted. The Board of Trade would, be a distinctly useful body, and it is a matter for regret that it w'as not constituted and set to work within a few w'eeks of the passing of the Act.