COST OF LIVING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12088, 17 August 1917, Page 4

COST OF LIVING.

PERSONNEL OF A COMMITTED CYNICS UPON GOVERNMENTS GOOD FAITK. [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON. August 10. The personnel of the Cost, of Living Committee*, which has already raised a good doal of feeling, became a storm centre in the House again this afternoon. Just before the. dinner adjournment the Prime Minister announced, that, in compliance with a promise made by him to meet certain objections, he would ask the House to add the names of the Hon .D. 6. MacDonald. Messrs Ell and W right to the Cost, or Living Committee, A cry of protest was immediately raised on behalf of Labour. Mr Wilford suggesting that, Mr Hindmarsh, who possessed legal knowledge and reproseined Labour, should bs included. Mr tiindmarsh (explosively): I refuse to go 011 the committee. Mr Vvebt) men rose and contended that tbo Pr:me Minister was not treating the workers of the country fairly in the committee's personnel, while Mr An.'toy and several other Liberal members supported tho pretest. WANTED. EXAMPLE AND PLUCK. Hind marsh : Tt is evident that th-> Prime Minister does not. want to investigate the cost ot foodstuffs. The pei .-oniu'l of this committee is something iike tho personnel of the commissions that ar e appointed. They are appomtea- not to cio work, '' but., aelded Mr Hind marsh with sarcasm, the. wide impartiality, the great sense* of justic? and love of country that the Prim" Minister displayed we nil approcistfo- (Laughter). Ho opens his great heart on all these occasions. (Renewed jnnziiTOiM. ~V\ hat- we want hoie. Mr fe-eake!'. is not a committee to deIvite and debate, but we want the Prme Minister of this country to set an example of nluek and do something. Bn; instead, what, does he do? Hides behind a committee. The whole proposal about this committee is fudge. 'Hear. hear). REFUGE FROM ACTION. Mr Isitt contended that; the interests of the e:ountrv and the Empire shou.a in considered. What sort of impression would be- created among Labour circles bv the personnel of the committee? „ .. Air Alassey : There are five direct represontatives of Labour on it.. Mr Isitt : Oh. yes; but I think that Labour wiil not. recognise these men as bein"" direct representatives of Labour. I a-ree thai, what is required in the matter is action. have, those boards and commissions set up, ana iti seems as if t-hay are simply u refuge from taking action. "We hear to-day that the. EFlicicncv Board has resigned. Mr Mossev: It has not resigned. Mr Isitt ncrsistc-d that continual rumours of its resignation had been from" round recently ana he contended that°was as a result of the irritation upon irritation of the Governments disregard of tho board's recommendations 0 He expressed a hope that Labour would be given full and direct representation on the Cost of Living Committee, and that its report would, be dealt with by the House. A KNIGHT OF LABOUR. Mr Colvin was warmly urging the same opinion when Mr Massey again interjected that Labour was well represented oil the. committee. Mr Hindmarsh (excitedly): i es, that's right, that's right. You Knight of Labour once yourself, weren't vou ? , Mr Massey: lam one now. (Loud laughter from Liberal benches.) The Prime Minister in reoly claimed that in Messrs Veitch. Poole. Ell, Glover and Hornsbv Labour interests had good representation on thp committee. Mr Webb: But you claim to be a Labour man yourself. Mr Massey (warmly): T am, and I know more 'about manual labour than any of those members who talk so much about itNOT THE WAY. Mr Ala ssey wnit on to say that-the committee would have a big and difficult task, extending probably beyond the session. He was quite prepared to submit the names of the gentlemen mentioned to the committee, and if the committee were anxious to have any one of thefn lie was quite willing to have' them put on. Mr Wilford : Oh. that is not the sort of way to appoint them. The Prime Minister added that Mr Statham. who was a man with legal' knowledge, had that, day been appointed chairman of the committee. The House agreed to the inclusion of the names moved by tho Prime Minister. SCOPE OF INQUIRY. [From Ocr Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, August- 16. The first wjt.nes.ses to be called be* fore the Select Committee to consider the cost- of Hvinir will be members of the Board of Trade. This will enablo the committee to immediately ascertain the history of the course of prices sincft tiie outbreak of the war and some reasons for the increases. The committee can call for persons and papers, and has equal powers to a Royal Commission. The inquiry is likely to be an active one. for the majority of the commit-too are vcrv much in earnest over the problem.