THE COST OF LIVING

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2999, 9 February 1917, Page 4

THE COST OF LIVING

$ , CABINET MINISTER'S VIEWS. By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, February 8. A deputation from the City Council •waited on. tho Hon. J. Allen to-night in rcl'erenco to the cost of living. ,ln reply, Mr. Allen referred to what tho Government had dou6 to. restrict the price of necessities, and mentioned that m Auckland all butchers wore taking meat oft the hooks aud_ selling at theGovernment price. Ho joined with tho deputation in appealing to farmers wTFo had suitablo laud to put In enough wheat for tho needs of the people. As a result of fixing tho prioo of wheat the Government had stopped any increase in the prico of bread. Living was cheaper than in Australia and England, and Cabinet had done everything humanly possible to limit prices, and in some cases decrease them. Tho Hon. G. W. Itussell ■ interjected that figures compiled by tho Government Statistician showed that botween January 1, 1916, and December 31, the cost of living, excluding rent, had only increased seven points, 63 per cent, • This covc-rod all necessaries of life. j\lr. Allen continuing, said that practically speaking the Dominion Government bad no control over freight rates, they beiftg fixed by tho Imperial Government. Tho shipping companies paid largely increased taxation, and he would liavo tho figures published. Tho Government had no power to' commandeer shipping, oxcept for military purposes. In regard to taking surplus war profits, tho difficulty was to ascertain what those profits were, because ether profits'than war profits wero made. The Hon. AV. D. S. Mac Donald also spoke pointing out tho impossibility of framing legislation to moot every quostion. Ho was trying to arrange for action in regard to meat, similar to that taken in Auckland 1 , in ' other places from which tho request came. With refercnco to wheat, tho position to-day was that they would have to import wlieat Before tho end o£ tho year. The action taken by the Government would safeguard tho .interests of tho country, and was""ah endeavour to provide sufficient bread for tho fut/uro. Next session tho Government would have to introduce moro drastic legislation to control the foodstuffs of tho country. Ho was confident of ETiat.