NEED FOR ECONOMY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3079, 9 May 1917, Page 8

NEED FOR ECONOMY

"' IN WHEAT AND COAL AND OTHER ESSENTIALS 'A statement was made by the Acting. Prime Minister yesterday "on the need .for economy m the use of certain commodities in common use, notably coal am 4 wheat, which are essentials, but which have to be imported into New Zealand. ".We really have come to a time when it ought to be everybody's desire to bring the war to a climax a? soon a A S n We P° ssibl y can," said Sir James Allen. 'One of the ways we can work to bring this about is by limiting our Remands for goods, both those we produce for ourselves arid those we have to seek outside. As far as possible every man and even every woman in the country should give of their best in useful work. The greatest' need of all is for economy in the use of those commodities which are essential for the liffi of the country, and which we have to draw from outside the shores of "ftew Zealand. I refer to coal, wheat, oil, and irnper. Supplies of these commodities we have to import. : "There are two of these which we ought to be- able to produce in sufficient quantities within our own country—coal and wheat. The prodnotion of coal last year was somewhat greater than in the year before. The -minors adopted in recent weeks a policy of j go : slow, but that policy, I am glad to say. has been abandoned, and I hope jjlw been abandoned for all time. There are still differences between employer and employed, but these, I hope, will be settled n't the conference which is to be held this week. It will'certainly- be in. the interests of efficiency, ■which must depend on coal supply to !a very large extent, that these differences should bo settle*]. I hope tood counsels will prevail on both sideband that mine-owners and miners will set about the task of providing for the •largest output consistent with the health of the men employed, in order that we may be in a position to-rely tntirely upon our own supplies of coal. X also want to point, out. that if the cost of production is raised by any means whatsoever, either by limitation M output or by increases iu pay without corresponding increase in production, there must be, in all probability, an increase in the cost of coal to the consumer, and therefore an increase in the cost of living. We are all anxious to keep down the cost , of living, and I nope ■" that all parties will unite to.do this. ( "With regard to wheat, the Minister of Agriculture has been through the districts, and represented -the case to the farmers. I know that it means some (sacrifice ou their part to give up more profitable forms of farming, such as grazing, and to plant their land in wheat iu order that the country may produce sufficient for Jts own needs without importation,- but the call to the farmer is the same as to the coal mine owiier and the coal miner—to put aside everything else for the sake, of efficiency, and to produce as."much as possible."