THE HOMES OF THE PEOPLE.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 7914, 4 August 1917, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE HOMES OF THE PEOPLE.

In these times of unsettled conditions, the thoughts of the people are naturally not permitted to dwell for long on any one topic of interest or concern. Developments take place rapidly, to that results are often apparent before ths causes and their relation to public interest arc fully appreciated. Further, at such times as these, it is self-evident that matters of public concern receive -focussed attention in proportion to their direct general bearing on the individuals of a community at anygiven time. It often happens that matters of moment, confined in their early stages to tlie few, are overlooked in the mennt : me by the many, to be met with later in altered form in an advanced and more difficult stage. After three years of war, every responsible individual is now faced with the rapidly increasing purchasing power of the sovereign in association with the problem of increased prices of necessary commodities. Tt is therefore a matter of no small interest, in fact one of great public and economic value, to differentiate .as between. Natural Increased Cost and Forced Increased Cost, is affecting essential commodities, as 'n the first instance there is the effect of a natural law as affecting supply and demand, but in the second instance the effect of personal greed. Standing ns wo do, on the eve of tho call of the men of tho Second Division, when the thought of the husband will be to se'» that his family is left in a com fortnble home, at a reasonable rental, with n minimum risk of forced removal, our thoughts centre for tho moment among tho homes of the peoplo. Tt is not saf" to assume that a pre-war supply of homes as meeting the requirements o( a normal population in peace times, will ho.more than sufficient to meet the needs of the reduced population due ti enlistments. Population follows tho beckoning of remunerative wages, so that the “homes” problem has to be met at the time, and at the point of tho need, due to population growth, irrespective of the number of empty houses at nnv other distant point of the Dominion. The buildnig trade, although busy, has been severely handicapped, by labour shortage, and more especially tho shortage of metals in the form of nails, iron, etc., and the consequent natural increased cost due to the demand for all classes of metal elsewhere for war uses. Roofing iron, the selling rate of which on a pre-war market was about £2O per ton. has reachp I the exceptional figures of* between £79 and £BO per ton, and lifts been scarce at that. Such results are perhaps unavoidable on,a war market under exirting conditions, but there have been other factors, and among them not the least in importance, is the marked steady rise in our own Dominion’s, timber prices, suggestive jn the hitstages, of ft rood rises'! Public comment lias been very decided on this point dining the last few days, when it hocame known that another sharp rise, in timber prices, was again advised by the saw millers of the Main Trunk line. Hires have been frequent during the war period, but the earlier ones were accepted as being the natural result 0' conditions over which tlie millers, had little control, and so increasing cost of production. The more recent rises, however, have indicated that an. organised effort to force prices is at work. The builder may grumble, as increased cost means the need of extra capitai and the tendency to curtail building due to tho increased cost. The effect applies further than this, however. The inflation of prices by the producer, results in an increased cost in building, and therefore increased rents in proportion to tho outlay, in short and unwarranted penalising of the community. That a matter of such public interest should receive tlie disapproval of the building trade is not in itself sufficient. Those in authority in Government administration should make full inquiry into the position and see'that.J prices are not forced beyond tlie natural limit, as the position as affecting the homes of the people is an important one. The marked alterations in prices, as refei red to by a correspondent in another column, as covering a period comparatively short, is sufficient data to call for careful consideration of the question referred to.