COST-OF-LIVING PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 201, 14 May 1918, Page 6

COST-OF-LIVING PROBLEM

GOVERNMENT CALLED UPON TO DEAL WITH IT.

By 'Moßr&Dh.-i'rcM .\e?ociatlon. Timnru, May 13. At a meeting of the Tuuaru branch of tha Amalgamated Society of Itanway Sctvante, it wiw unanimously resolved: "That the Timaru branch of tho Ainiu'eamated Kailway Servants call upon die Premier, ihclit. Hon. W. I'. llasscy, to do his duty and protect the workers irmrt further oxploitation at tho hftuds of the monopolists. That in view of what tue National Government has done, J" , . Miissey'e statement on April 12, in wlncn he is reported to have said that there are many things which wo have not done that wilt 'be dono, and, further, I am strongly of opinion that wo must do oui duty,' is so much 'hot air,' considering tho words emanated from the Premier of a National Government, which nas failed in every instance to do its duty to the workers of the Dominion, notwithstanding tho ivastft of public money in setting up commissions, which tailed to attain their object because their■ rocommendations were ignored by the tituerninent. We demand that the Premier initiate in a practical manner the llioorj ho has so ably advocated. In the san - speech Mr. llnssey calls upon the people of the Dominion to make greater sacrifices during the present crisis. We Hereby ca.ll unou the National Government to deal with the cost-of-hviiiß prob.ein before asking the workers to make greater sacrifices' whilst a responsible Minister like Sir Joseph Ward is endeavouring to Mead tho Imperial Government by asking them to pay cash for frozen mutton lying in New Zealand refrißoratiiie chambers, which would only boneht tho big man. This constitutes a scandal, emanating from a Minister who calls himself a patriot, when the same Minister absolutely refuses justice to the wives of the men of the Second.Division. It 1= about time that Sir Joseph Ward put as much encrcy into finding wa>;e and means of payinp- the Second Division innmbois' wives a iivincr wage, as lie is in Retting from the Homo Government four millions sterling for tho benefit oi a few."