The Chronicle LEVIN: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27. 1916 THE COST OF LIVING.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 27 November 1916, Page 2

The Chronicle LEVIN: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27. 1916 THE COST OF LIVING.

Tlic negotiations between the Farmer*' ExtJiitive and thj Government coneernhi'j the selling value of wool, and tile proposal in other quarters that tl.'o >. r*''a ly. ioe ol livestock should b? restricted opens up a very wide question. The desirableness of keeping the retail prices of food with'iai reasonable limits lis beyond contrary argument from the viewpoint of general welfare, but the whole subject is so comjiex, and its ramifications to widespread that what might seem to bo a matter easy of adjustment really is not so. For one thing, there is a:i alll-roundi rise in price of eommodties; practically eveiiyth/.'ng that the farmer buys costs more than it tused to cost. ' It tis practicable to fix a| maximum selling price for goodis produced in New Zealand, but the case is otherwise when imported goods have to be dealt with. Agr.Vn, the graziers are

hard hit by the increased price of store cattle ana <siieep. These sell at so high a 'price to-day that only £1 to £2 per head is left for profit on fat stock not bred by the vendor, although the price of fat stock at present is unprecedentedly high for New Zealand,. The subject of prices certainly is a difficult one to deal with effectively, and no matter what steps may bo taken to chcck undue increases there will be hardships inflicted on iconic people. As to the desirableness cf cheeking the still-increasing cost, there is small dispute, but clear-cut schemes for dcing so are not forthcoming. What the country needs is an r|lround proviso as to fair selling prices for all commodities; in fact the need is so urgent that the authorities should adopt some drastic menus for preventing further increases except where the need fcr them is beyond dispute. Tho ''boosting-up" of gratn values in New Zealand during the last weeks is a case in point. That increase is unjustifiable on a basis of the world values; wheat to-day is being sold much cheaper in Australia, and for Jess money in Great Britain and America, than the sum that is'being exacted for it from New Zealand consumers. This is a scandalous state of affairs; and the extra moneys are flowing 'rlnto the coffers of the grain jobbers, not into the pockets of the .New .Zealand farmers, for they have parted with their wheat long ago.