Cost of Living.

Manawatu Herald, 29 July 1902, Page 3

Cost of Living.

CLOTHING AND SWEATING.

FACTORY-MADE GOODS.

Somtf interesting points in “B}^Jj® . the cost of living, particularly as to the price of clothing in Napier, were raised during the hearing of the drapers' dispute before the Conciliation B A rd Napiet draper, under crossexamination by members of the board, • stated that he took orders in Napier on chart measurement, for suits which were made in the Wellington factories. MrD.P. Fisher (labor member of . 4Vi« VinardV To be made in the * - cheapest place in Wellington?—l hey made in the factories. At what price?—The lowest price It £3 to £3 3s a suit, made to chart 10 What is the cost of the labor of such a suit ?-I could not say ; but it is very much in advance of slop. • Mr Collins (labori: I no this question. Do yOll think it is fair to taka orders for a suit of clothesfSm anyone and lead him to suppose It is made on your premises, when it is really made by the cheapest log m Wellington?—! am a universal sup* Ser. fnd I think I am doing he public a good turn by giving the Mtiele to them at the lowest price. - serve the public a good turn by sweating labor ?-No I don't think so. Calculate the profits on the net cost ofthagoods. The Wellington Woollen Mills can produce the suit, say,. a * io» 5 the cost of carriage will bring 4Vpri»«ptor V «M- ■■ Jnd to sell to the public at the cheapest •'lf* has been said that living is cheaper in Napier than in Wellington. HoTdoes thS cost of tw C o a X g s?°k business compare in the two prices l r ■ Expenses in Wellington are higher, F SSaeaoecially. But we have better weather*here, which enables peop'® to wear out more clothes.than m WellingSTX« tk.y»e.t tbeir clothes out to the same extent. _ "Mr Collins; Do yon think itfeirfor a draper's shop to represent goods aa tailor-made when they are a matter of fact framed out and made in the flheanest factories elsewhere. We are going to bring in legislation to stop not a ques. tion of political policy, and you need n °Mr°KeW b !etoployers' representa--4' SgJSU -a**; S %l fpSfa o S themouthpieco of,thi. board • h »o(R.v.J-C«w. S ):Nj; ’ % a a fiw

that living was cheaper in Napier than in Wellington, the chairman said he had been two and a half years calling witnesses, and he believed everyone had sworn that Wellington was the dearest place in the colony. Now he came to Napier, to his great surprised, some witnesses were ready to swear that in Napier things were dearer than in Wellington. He felt sure he was as far from knowing what was actually correct—except from his own personal experience—as when he started.—H.B. Herald.