COST OF LIVING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1468, 17 June 1912, Page 6

COST OF LIVING.

EVIDENCE AS TO TRADE METHODS,

SOME BUSINESS LFL'THiiS.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Christchurch, .lune 1"). When tlio Cost of .Living Commission resumed (o-day, Mr. C. E. Hampton, Hour salesman, staled thai ho had been traveller for the Christchurch branch of tho I'loimnillers' Association. There had been a five market for anyone wJio diuse to buy, and no complaint; were made to him as to any restraint of trade cm (ho part of tho association. His opinion was that bakers did not get enough for their bread compared with the price they paid for (lour.

Air. 11. V. Free, draper, stated that as a whole drapery had not increa.srd in price during the past twenty years, and what increases there had -been wvve on articles of luxury, such articles being more largely purchased than hitherto. Men nowadays wanted tailor-niado suits instead of the factory-made article. More ready-made women's clothing was .sold, but women wero luxurious in other directions, such as in the matter of furs. Woollens and textiles had increased more in price, probably ten per cent., as compared with other clothing textiles. AVages in the tailoring bade had increased 10 to 15 per cent. A 10 per cent, incrca-se in wages would increase the cost of making an article by 1 to 2 per cent. Reductions in duty in drapery were passed on to the consumer, who got the full extent of such reductions except when froight and other charges had increased. Mr. Richard Evans, farmer, of Kniapoi, stated that in respect to one of his farms, • fourteen miles from Christchurch, tho value of tho land had ucit increased. It is heavy-class land, and he paid £U per acre for it at auction in 18S2. Other lands had increased in value, chiefly owing to the establishment of the freezing industry. The increased land values could • not possibly affect the- cost of living, though it cost • the farmer more to produce. Ho had looked over his accounts for the past 20 years, and, speaking generally, there was no appreciable difference in tho prices of commodities. Accommodation for farm labourers was improving yearly. Mr. Thomas Brown, coal merchant, stated that coal had increased in price chiefly owing to tho increased cost of labour. Fifteen, years ago six trucks of coal, each of G tons, were discharged at 7s. to Bs. per day. Not more than four trucks were now discharged in the same time at ils. per day. Ten or fifteen years ago a man could deliver 8 to 9 tons of bagged coal, whereas not more than I! tons was now delivered in similar circumstances. He confirmed the evidenco given by Mr. D. Redpath_ regarding the increase in the price'of Newcastle- coal. Men engaged at unloading coal were not now doing as much work as they did twenty years ago, but received higher wages. \ To Mr. Fnirbaini: The increased cost of unloading from trucks equalled 2d. per ton.

Mr. C. Bowyer, who gave evidence on l-Viday regarding the operations of the Merchants and lietailors' Association, now put in certain correspondence. On August 7, 11109, Messrs. Williamson and ' Co., manufacturers agents, Christchurch, and agents for Messrs. H. Hudson and Co., Ltd., wrote to witness: "We havo your order of yesterday, for which we thank you, but regret that owing to pressure brought to bear on us by the merchants and larger grocers of the city we must refuse it. They are too strong for us to oppose^ Witness then wrote direct io Messrs. It. Hudson and Co., who on August 12, 1909, replied: "Wo are in receipt of your favour of tho 10th instant, nnd wo note your remarks re Retail Grocers' Association. We are now writing to our Hlr. Williamson asking him to write us full particulars, and on iroceipt of his reply will write you again." Witness stated that he received no further communication from Messrs. E. Hudson and Co., who -evidently did not want to commit themselves. ,

AVitness earlier had communicated with Messrs. Griffen and Son, of Nelson, who on July 15, 1909, wrote: "Replying to your favour of the 12th inst., we have referred the matter to Messrs. Green and Co. (the firm's Christehurch representative) with a request that they keep you supplied with our goods as heretofore, if at all possible. Of course,-at this distance we are not in possession of the necessary date in connection with the arrangement between Messrs. Green and Co. and tho Grocers' Association to enable us to express any opinion with regard to it. ]f however you still havo difficulty in obtaining our goods, we should bo glad to correspond with you further." On August Jl of the game, year the firm wrote: "Wo duly received. your telegram of. yesterday ordering certain lines of goods. While thanking yoii for this order, we regret that we are unable to supply you direct, as wo have an agreement with our Christchurch agents that all business in their district is to be done fhroujjh them. We can only hope.that there is no obstacle in tho way of our agents supplying the lines. Should there bo, however, we are sorry that we cannot interfere between them and their olients."

Witness also put in a list issued by the Retailers' Association headed "Amended grocery selling list to come into force on and alter May, 1908." It gave the prices to be charged for candles, dried fruits, flour and oatmeal, kerosene, patent medicines, sugar, tinned fish, tobacco, and sundries. "Witness also put in a note he received from Messrs. Chrystall and Co. on the ocoasion that ho sent cash with an order for halting powder lind candles. The note read: "Owing to stocktaking at tine end of the ' month, we are out of stock.—Clirystall and Co."

The chairman: They evidently did not want to throw any light on the position. Mr. Hall: And they didn't want him to rise to tho occasion.

Witness referred to the reference in tho "Press" to his evidence given on Friday, and stated that on the occasion when lie gave the interview with the reporter he (witness) was not feoking for a cheap advertisement, and never sought the interview with Hie reporter. Whatever was said to the contrary, he fully believed that the "Press" interviews with tho Retail Association were the onuse of prices being altered at that time. Witness had not come before the commission for the purpose of advertising himself, and hoped that the outcome of its inquiries would be- that nil restraint of trade would be done away with in New Zealand.

Tho commission then adjourned till Monday.