THE COST OF LIVING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 136, 1 August 1911, Page 7

THE COST OF LIVING.

So many people have been complaining lately’ about the high cost of living that the request made by Mr G. Laurenson, M.P., for a Royal Commission of Inquiry comes as no surprise (says the Wellington “Post”). Our contemporary believes that such a commission could amass valuable information for the enlightenment of the public and the guidance of the Government, provided tiie personnel was competent and the order of reference was wide enough. It has no wish for a “political” commission, a hand of more or less unqualified men, with, scant knowledge of economics, to wander hither and thither, putting questions to all and sundry' about (anything and everything. Unless such, a commission is composed of uirdouhtetd , exports it will waste time and money. The p; o:;le who complain against the cost of iiri'-.e will merely have another hill to pay .- the fees of the commissioners and heavy incidental expenditure, including voluminous printing. Clearly the task of such a commission would he to take borings right down to the bedrock of this country’s financial and industrial position. The commission would lie required to inquiry into relative costs of production of wealth and the rates of production per head of population, the general working of industrial legislation, the ratio of increase between productive and nonproductive portions, of the population, the tariff question, the land problem, the alleged operation of “rings” and combines, the growing cost of Governmental administration! or “top hamper”). A little reflection shows that this matter of the cost of living is very far-reaching. It cannot he sotttlcd summarily by an Act of Parliament, as one correspondent the other day fondly’ hoped, and no proper view of tiie intricate position can he got: by a mediocre commission. It is a task for men of sound education, keen vision, and ability to get down to first causes.