COST OF LIVING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1472, 21 June 1912, Page 6

COST OF LIVING.

THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY

AUCKLAND EVIDENCE.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, June 20. The commission set up to inquire into the reasons for the increase in the cost of living commenced its Auckland sittings to-day. Mr. Arthur Withy, general scriciary of the Neit Zealand Land Valuers' League, was the first witness, lie minted in detail his view of the effect of rent, rates and taxes on the cost, of living in JN'ew Zealand to-day. Landlord tribute, rates and taxes totalled no Iras than AiiJM.IM, which had to be carried by the useful people of New Zealand and handed over to landlords, to local bodies,- and to the State before the heads of families, tho breadwinners, began to receive anything to buy food and clothing for themselves, their wives, and children. He held that there wn-s room for retrenchment in the sum of ,£2-2., r iOO,OOO a year. The ratepayer and taxpayer received some return for the monev paid in (hat direction, but they received nothing'from the ,t1G,(Kl(),fl(lO a year of landlord tribute. Land values, 'lie continued, were produced by the industry'ami enterprise of the public and by public expenditure. Therefore all taxes on private earnings should be abolished, and instead public earnings should be taken for public purposes.

Mr. Joseph Flaniwin. farmer, of Drury, expressed the opinion that the increased value of laud was responsible for the rise .in the cost of farm products. Considerable difficulty was experienced on occasions in securing labour, and therefore farmers were afraid to sow too much in crops. As a result, a great deal of arable land was being u c ed for dairying. Farmers complained of the prices they received for their goods at auction, and undoubtedly there was a great difference between the price farmers secured and prices the retailer put upon products.

Mr. .T. E. Makgill, farmer, of Waikato and Waiuku, slated that the price of dairy produce had gone up considerably during the last few years. Undoubtedly farmers had benefited. Land values had increased "by fully . r >o per cent, of late years, but, of course, in many eases land liad been improved considerably. The variation in the price of beef and mutton over a period of years was very little.

Mr. Albert Snnfird. director nf Sanford, Ltd.. fish dealers, staled (lint the wholesnlo price of fish luiil risen, particularly since Hie Government prohibited trawling in the gulf. The rise reprcsenfed about 50 per rent. The supply of fish was uncertain. There was a general understanding among fishermen as H the price, and personally lie did not think it wa= exorbitant. Should the price be lowered, only expert fishermen could make a living at it. Witness denied that there was a ring of retailers in Auckland, and -said that at the present time competition was verv keen.

Mr. William P. Black said the first Tcason for the rise in the cost of living was wa=te in distribution. Increase in land values and increase of wages might also have a slight effect. The cost of delivery to customers was great, and naturallv the cost of it came to the pnl'ic. Rent in his own. case had increased during the past two years from 18s. Gd. to 225. Gd.

EEPLY TO MR. H. A. GOLD. The following letter has been received by the Press Association from Mr. A. C. Nottingham, of the Christcluirch Merchants' Association-.— Dear Sir,—Replying to the letter.in today's paper signed by H. A. Gold, I have merely to state the following aro the facts. I make no comment on t-ho position, leaving it to the public to draw their own conclusions. Extract from a letter from Jeye's Sanitary Compounds Company to A. C. Nottingham, dated August 25, 1011:—"We explained to Mr. Beauchamp that while we were in sympathy with the aim of his association, that is, to stop useless cutting in the price of Jeye's tluid, wo were, on the other hand, anxious that if minimum prices . were, agreed upon, they should be reasonable, and not unnecessary ily high." Mr. Beauchamp replied, stating "that if his association were appointed distributing agents, they would regulate this in a way that would be found satisfactory to all parties." I was subpoenaed to give evidence at the Cost of Living Inquiry, at which one of the Commissioners asked mo the following question:—"ls it within your knowledge that Mr. Harold Beaucliamp, lato chairman of the Bank oT New Zealand, chairman of the Merchants' Association in Wellington, and managing director of Baunatyne and Co., Wellington, called upon your principals in order to get the exclusive control of Jeye's fluid for this country on belialf of the Merchants' Association of Now Zealand?" I replied in the affirmative, regretting at the same time having to do so, but from the abovo you will see I had no other alternative.