WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 July 1918, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

PINCH OF PRICES

GLUT OF FOOD

(Our Special Correspondent)

WELLINGTON, July 1

The deputation from the Timber Workers’ Federation which waited upon Ministers on Saturday to protest against the increasing cost of living came away with little more than very genuine expressions of sympathy from the Acting President of the. Bon ■xX ••

Trade. The spokesmen of the deputation pointed out that while the prices of foodstuffs were mounting up, the great stores at the shipping ports were overflowing with moat and butter and cheese, and argued from this fact that the consumers ought to lie getting these commodities at much lower rates than they were paying. Mr McDonald in replying to their representations could only remind them that the stocks awaiting shipment had been purchased by the Imperial authorities at rates ip harmony with the prices being charged

'•.ere and that the Government in fairness to the producers could not dare do mere than it. already had done to restrain the advance in the cost of living. PRICES AND PROSPERITY. Every discussion of tin's question in 'Wellington takes a Led turn and though it is generally recognised that Air. MacDonald and the Hoard of Trad are doing their utmost to keep prices down throughout the country, hitter complaints are made of their persistent ’dvance in the capital city. The io-t “f living in Wellington, including th three food groups and rents, has advanced 41 per cent, in Wellinr.ton since the beginning of the war, while. i:> Auckland it has advanced only i’b per cent., in Christchurch 18 per cent, and In Dunedin til per cent. Wore it not that the price of meat had been kept down to a lower rate in Wellington than any of the other big centres, the comparison would be -still more unfavorable to the capital city, which actually charges more for its groceries in the aggregate than does any of the little coastal or inland towns which it sup lilies with these commodities. The empty consolation the Mayor offers to the citizens in this respect is that supremacy in prices represents supremacy in prosperity. THE SHIPPING POSITION. Though Ministers are not committing themselves to any definite statement on the subject, what thev have said gests that the shipping position this year is not likely to be more satisfactory than it was last year. The speeding up of' America’s entry into the war has necessarily diverted a large amount of shipping from distant ports, like those of Australia and New Zee-’ land, to the Atlantic run, and the ( Vs nionwealth and the Dominion will hav to do the best they can with such vessels as are available. Relief will c when ship-building has definitely surpassed ship destruction and the American demand for space has been satisfied. The authorities though rc-ti-•n'ont, are not pessimistic in regard to’ the outlook and New Zealanders have 'he consolation of knowing, the vessels they are not getting here are clomp vcollont service for the Empire elsewhere. THE LICENSING POLL.

The official Prohibitionists are- pt : P

'•opeful of bringing sufficient pressurnon the Government to comp-1 it to ‘eke a licensing poll at :h« c‘H '■? ■ mesont year, in spit? of the lif of Parliament having been extended. In' " rough canvass of the members cf th-.-House of Representatives is said to show that a majority of them are opnosed to inviting another controversy over the liquor question till the war is at an end. Six o’clock - closing has worked ho well it is maintained, tint there is no urgent need to plunge the country into the turmoil of a contest that would he even more productive of nnrtv strife than a general election •would be. The ‘•counting of heads” lias been quite unofficial. Ministers faking no part at- all in the process, but a list of the names seems rather to give colour to the prediction that no noil will be taken till the Empire’s differences with the Central Powers have been settled.