The Sun WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1915. WAR PRICES AND THE COST OF LIVING.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 457, 28 July 1915, Page 6

The Sun WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1915. WAR PRICES AND THE COST OF LIVING.

The House of Representatives seems to have spent yesterday afternoon listening to the Labour members on the cost of living. Doubtless the party leaders 1 and more responsible members on either side were pre-occupied with the developments that are supposed to be taking place in connection with the National Cabinet: at any rate Messieurs Payne and Co. with the assistance of Mr Wilford and Mr Hanan had the floor and talked to the gallery in their best style. Mr Payne wants all the butter commandeered and sold at 1/2 a lb; a fleet of Stateowned colliers; Government shops for the retail of merchandise, etc. It is strange how politicians of the Payne type cling to the delusion that the State can produce goods or minister to the wants of the people cheaper than anyone else. Its management of the railway transport | business and the State coal mines i does not support the theory that a fleet of colliers would cheapen fuel unless the vessels are run at a loss' like the railways and the deficit made up by the taxpayers. But it is really, time that the people looked squarely and honestly at this question of the cost of living, and recognised j that it is absurd to demand drastic regulation of prices in the interests of the consumer, as long as they continue to squander millions on liquor, gambling, tobacco, amusements, and all kinds of luxu-

ries. The Government cannot help the people half as much as they can I help themselves by looking the present situation in the face, I and revising their ideas regarding what is really necessary expenditure. It cannot be denied that the stringency which is beginning to affect persons with small incomes, has made little difference as yet to the j volume of waste and extravagance, j that in time of war is positively a ! reproach to the community. Why should the Government penalise the j producers of the country by arbi- j trarily fixing the prices of butter and j other produce at figures considerably below the market value, when over ten millions sterling per annum is being spent on the items mentioned above? Further, it is becoming abundantly clear that the Dominion will have to foot a far bigger war bill than anyone ever contemplated even a year ago. How r is it going to be done without hardship unless we take advantage of the high prices prevailing in external markets for our products and get all we can for them? It does not really matter, if, for the time being, the bulk of our people have to give up eating butter and substitute dripping or jam for it. If butter can be sold for 2/- a lb abroad so much the better. And the same applies to all New Zealand produce. The fact that this may enrich the farmers seems to be a grievance with persons like Mr Payne. But it should not be. The producers will have to bear the lion's share of the war taxation, and we think they will be found to shoulder it without a "squeal.". As long as there is no increase in unemployment the city j workers have no real grievance. | They can, by the exercise of a little ' thrift and economy, and by the culj tivation of their vegetable gardens, | tide themselves over a period of high ( ! prices for produce, and it would be i folly if 'the Government, in re- ' spouse to the clamour of people who are not really hurt, were to do anything that would minimise the returns being obtained by the primary' producer at the present lime.