FIXING PRICES OF COMMODITIES.

Taihape Daily Times, 19 February 1918, Page 4

FIXING PRICES OF COMMODITIES.

Just as the people of this Dominion had settled down to the idea that it was hopeless to expect the National

Government to fix prices of food com modifies in regulating the cost of liv ing, tuey were astonished with an an nouncement from the Minister of Pub

lie Works, Mr. Fraser, that the Government would not pay more than eleven shillings a day for unskilled labour. Now we have the Prime Minister following up with another performance in limiting prices. This time it is not labour, but butter. There are butter exporters, and butter people who supply local requirements. For a long time the local suppliers had the benefit of half-penny a pound ever the exporters, and matters went on well, the shippers taking the misfortune' manfully. Later, the British Government notified that any profits on commandeered butter would be divided with the butter exporters, and, although it isn’t much, something is coming to them that will help to wipe out the half-penny loss as against what local • suppliers were receiving. Trouble has arisen, however, by local butter men demanding a share of what is being refunded to exporters. Meetings of the New" Zealand market suppliers have been held and because the exporters refuse to share what is being returned to them, the suppliers for New Zealand "consumption have gathered up their marbles and say they won’t play. Mr. Massey, with paternal kindness, fells them he is very sorry they' will not play the game, but, he said, want to make it perfectly clear that the local market will not be left bare, and” : I —more important still—“that the prices will be-no higher than are , being charged at present.” It is certainly refreshing and heartening to be made aware that the Government can fix the price of labour and butter, as there are now hopes, that it may try its priced-fixing on coal and a few other commodities the. unreasonable charges for which are pressing unduly and disastrously heavy on poor j people. One of tyre candidates—not [ the Socialist—for Wellington North | seat cannot understand why coal is | twelve shillings a ton at the pit and 'three pounds a ton in Wellington. He is not quite so stupid as this remark suggests, as he goes on to state that the Government in addition to having a State coal mine should have State colliers. Coal is twelve shillings at the pit; a shipping monopoly brings it to Wellington and charges three pounds for it. Evil ever had its influences for evil, and the result is, we find coal-owners whose coal is not shipped, but distributed by State railways, ar e finding moans of scooping the middle profits that shipping owners scoop from the State coal mine. It is disgusting, loathesome, to see the trickery practiced to dishonstly raise prices in profiteering campaigns. This time last year there was a “go slow” cry, owners claiming that coal was not being mined to, meet needs; demand was greater than supply, and prices must go up. While this canard was being circulated the' Minister for Mines stated emphatically that there was a record output from the mines. With the exception of the “go slow” cry, owners are following almost precisely similar tactics as they adopted last year. They have managed a strike; there is the claim of shortage from Australia, and all the supporting twaddle that poinfs'Td a further rise this winter in coal prices. Huntly coal should not be a higher price at the pit mouth than State coal, that !s twelve shillings a ton, and why it should be forty shillings when It reaches Taihape needs some explanation. As the Minister of Public Works has fixed labour prices, and the Prime Minister has fixed the price of butter, we would suggest to the Minister for Mines that he make himself famous by fixing the price of coal.