THE COST OF LIVING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19814, 4 December 1919, Page 6

THE COST OF LIVING.

Many and varied are the excuses put forward for the Government’s failure to keep down the cost of living in tho Dominion. Other countries have found means to deal with the profiteer, but In New Zealand the price of commodities continues to increase, in a great many cases unjustifiably, in spite of tho Reformers’ claims to have dealt with tho problem. Until comparatively recently a similar state of affairs prevailed in France, but the people began to threaten all sorts of things, and the Government was forced - to stop in. It erected what are known as “Vilgrain huts,” called after M. Vilgroin, tho Minister in charge of anti-profiteer-ing measures. How these were used is described by a French correspondent in “The World’s Work.” The Government purchased supplies and retailed them to the public in these huts. At the time he wrote there were twentythree of them at ivork in Paris, and an average of 2000 customers passed through each of thorn daily. The people stand in long queues in front of the huts, but they have got quite used to doing that for food during the war. Only ten people are admitted nt a time, but they are served expeditiously, and five minutes after they enter they pass out, and another ten come in. The average rate of serving is 120 persons an hour. A placard indicates tho price of commodities sold inside, and a comparison with those ruling before the Government took action shows that tho middlemen were fleecing the public to the extent of some 40 per cent more than they were entitled to. Says the correspondent: “ These prices are but an unpleasant memory now, for on the very day that the huts opened neighbouring tradesmen posted np prices approximating those of the Vilgrain huts.” It was amusing to see tho tradesmen hanging round the queues and urging the people not to waste time there, but to go into the adjacent shops, where the prices were the same. The customers receive these offers with jeering smiles. They are having their revenge at last. Now their custom is solicited, whereas but recently they entered a. shop in fear and trembling, and were not allowed to make any comment. If they dared to say, “Rut these haricots are six sous dearer than Inst week!” they provoked the disdainful reply, "Because the price has increased! Take thorn or leave them.” The Vilgrain huts have effected tho double miracle of bringing about a reduction in prices and a return of good -manners to tradesmen. Everything sold is of excellent quality, and the net result of this experiment is that the cost of living has been diminished by almost 40 per cent in Paris.