H.—lB

EBPOET.

To His Excellency the Right Honourable John Poynder Dickson-Poynder, Baron Islington, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Dominion of New Zealand and its Dependencies. May it please Your Excellency,— We, the Commissioners appointed by Your Excellency's Letters Patent of the 24th May, 1912, which Letters Patent were extended on the Ist July, 1912, the 29th July, 1912, and still further extended on the August, 1912, by which we were directed to inquire into the following matters and things, that is to say, — 1. Has the cost of living increased in New Zealand during the past twenty years ? If so, has that increase been more marked during the last ten than during the previous ten years ? 2. Has that increase, if any, been more marked in New Zealand than in other English-speaking countries ? 3. To what extent is the increased cost of living, if any, the result of a higher standard of living ? 4. In what special direction has the increase, if any, been most marked— (a) rent, (6) food, (c) clothing, (d) lighting and fuel, (c) household necessaries, (/) attendance, &c, (g) education ? 5. To what extent have monopolies, combines, trusts, and other associations of sellers of the necessaries of life contributed to the rise in prices ? 6. What has been the effect on prices of the tariff reduction ? 7. To what extent, if any, has the rise in the price of land during the past twenty years contributed to the rise in the price of commodities ? 8. What effect has the demand for New Zealand products beyond the Dominion had on prices of such commodities ? 9. What effect, if any, has the labour legislation had on the increase in the prices of the commodities of life ? 10. What influence, if any, has the value of gold had on the cost of living ? 11. What effect have the movements of the urban and the rural populations had on the cost of living ? 12. What causes generally have brought about the increased cost of living ? 13. What steps should be taken with a view to reducing the costs of the necessaries of life ? have to report as follows : — For-the purpose of obtaining evidence concerning these several matters, sittings were held at Dunedin, Christchurch, Auckland, and Wellington. Advertisements were inserted in the public Press, inviting those desirous of tendering evidence to attend the Commission's sittings, and every publicity was given to the Commission's work. A large number of witnesses were also subpoenaed. The witnesses, with few exceptions, were examined in public.

Scope of the inquiry.

Order of procedure

VIII