THE COST OF LIVING

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 207, 27 May 1920, Page 6

THE COST OF LIVING

CAMPAIGN TO BRING DOWN • PRICES

WOMEN'S SOCIETIES TAKE ACTION

A. meeting of members of the Pioneer Club and representatives of other women's societies was held in the club Inst evening to consider the question of the high cost of living. In the ateenco of (he president (Lady Stout), Miss Amy Kane (vice-president) was voted to tho chair.

In opening tho meeting Miss Kane stated that the club had been asked if il

ivcre prcpnred to take action in dealing with the cost of living, and, if so. what form that notion would take. It was for the meeting to decide what attitude they were prepared to take in the matter. After detailing the action taken bv the Auckland and Huncdin women's clubs Miss Kane asked Miss Goad, president of the Women's National Council, to outline the steps already taken, and those about to bo taken by that organisatien. Miss Coad told her hearers that the council was co-operating with and supporting the meeting to be held in tho Town Hall early in June bv the Returned Soldiers' Association, to discuss a cam: paign to bring down the cost of the necessities of life. It ivag also going to rail a meeting to consider the prices of fish, fruit, vegetables, and their distribution, and to placchefore the meeting certain facts of muddlcment and waste which was the cause of the high price of wme of these commodities; also to urgo the Citv Council to establish markets for their sale. Yet another course of itoiion that was being organised by the council was that every member of the ronncil and women outside it should «end at a stated time a post-card to the member of Parliament who represented them, drawing attention to the cost of living, and stating their expectation of his takiw ac *' on '" tne mntter in Parliament. What the council was specifically anxious to bring down wore the prices of food and New Zealand woollen good? Mrs. Corliss stated that althousrh not desirous of detracting in any way from the effort of the Women's National Council, she considered it would be a good plan to support the action of the Auckland and Dunedin cluhs in their attack upon the non-necessit.ies of life. That nnity was strength 6he realised, but she thought that in inducing women to pledge themselves to refrain from buying what Miss Coad had termed "airy nothings" something would probably be accomplished in the way of checking this mad passion for dress, it was taking possession of far too great a part of women's life, she he';d. Before the visit of the Prince of Wales to AVellington women were to ho seen with a frenzied look upon their faces rushing to the shops in a wild searcfr to match this silk awl that, tins piece of georgette, that piece of frinje. To her it was a very dreadful thing that at a time 'when every effort was needed for reconstruction work, at a time when mothers with families were finding the work of making ends meet and of bearing the heavy burdens that life was placing upon their shoulders, more than they could bear, thero were so many women with only thought for dress. She also emphasised tho fact that the production of luxuries made the production of necessities less and consequently dearer. This craze tor 'extravagance in dress was not a good example to set young girls, and she thought they ought to try. to show them tho stupidity of spending so much time and monev upon clothing. One speaker expressed the opinion that it would bo an excellent to get tho Government to restrict the importation of luxuries Rome discussion followed as to the particular class of goods Hint should be tho object of direct attack, necessities or non-necessities, and finally it was decided that both should be attacked. Ine following resolution was brought forward and carriedi—

That this meeting promises to cooperate with and support the National Council of Women in its efforts to reduce ttic necessities of lite. One of the speakers, in advocating the resolution, expressed the opinion that if they succeeded in bringing down the cost of necessities women would •have contributed valuable assistance to the community at large. SJie earnestly hoped that tiie club would support the effort being" mailo by the council and the Returned Soldiers' Association. "Another xesnlution brought forward and passed was:— That the Pioneer Club and representative women present support the - action of the Auckland and Dunedin women's clubs in pledging themselves to refrain from purchasing, non-ne-cessitous articles until the cost ot living has been appreciably reduced. Miss Lyra.laylor suggested that it might be a good plan to get women to definitely pledge themselves to the latter resolution, and to issue lists for receiving! 'their signature. This suggestion was embodied in a resolution brought orward by Mrs. Chatiield to the effect th.it the Pioneer Club open lists for signatures to the above resolution to be signed by women in agreement with its terms and that all women's organisations'be asked to take steps to get the names of their members added, to lists to be issued for that purpose, -find of all other women ■outside those organisations who are in favour of the movement. Iho resolution was carried. Steps were discussed for organising a Btrect day for obtaining as many signatures as'possible of women willing-, to pledgo themselves to abstention Irom non-necessitous articles until the cast of living conies down.