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Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 188, 14 September 1914, Page 6

Some day, perhaps, it will dawn upon the .Legislature of New Zealand that when a group of men control the production of an important article of food

and meet regularly round a table to decide at what price it shall be sold to the public, there is no valid reason why should not be called upon' to show cause before any change in the existing price comes into operation. The tendency of the age is undoubtedly in the direction of monopoly and combination. Monopoly is not necessarily a bad thing in itself. It only becomes so when monopolists abuse their trust for' selfish ends. The combination that eliminates waste and effeets economies i,n production aiid distribution is is every way desirable,.' verts the entire saving into the pockets of the monopolists, without allowing the public a share, it needs to be subjected to some regulation by the State. Flour and su'gair are two necessaries of life, the prices of which are invariably, subject to regulation by those who produce them. Others might be mentioned, but these will serfe for the'moment. Both are indispensable to all classes in the community, and common sense suggests that it is utterly wrong and indefensible that the millers of fiour and sugar respectively should not be required to consider anyone besides themselves in' fixing prices. Why should not some statutory board pr authority be created, representative of the Government and cbiisumers, whose business it would be to see fail play? Prices, must rflpcessarily fluctuate according to /f . the cost of material and labour,- but .under present conditions the fluctuation is too one-sided altogether. As time, goes on, and the business of .wealth production becomes more and more syst&natised, nearly everything coming with in the .category of a " necessary of life'' will be controlled absolutely by groups i. of pro ducers. If the sole determining factor in the fixing of prices is: "H"ow riiticrli will public stand V' tfien' the ptjoi' old public is going to see the cost" of living soar higher than ever. Clearly it is the duty of the to intervene aim say to flour-millers and others of that ilk that they are welcome to combine for the purpose of reducing the cost of production,' but that a monopoly of the right to fix prices, cannot be allowed.