The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, January 12, 1915. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1346, 12 January 1915, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, January 12, 1915. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

“Up she goes again !" The price of bread has been raised locally to sd the 2lb. loaf. This further rise will inflict hardship on a number of families throughout the district, and already homemade bread aud scones are replacing bakers’ bread in many households, but it is questionable whether there is any actual saving by so doing. It is useless to rail at the baker. He cannot ply his calling for the love of the thing, and the increase in price and shortage of the raw material compels him to reluctantly put up the price. The Government is doing, and has done, all that is possible to prevent stocks of wheat and flour being held for speculative purposes, and have imported large quantities of wheat at a loss to the State in order to meet the demand. It is alleged that the proclamation fixing the price of flour has uot been enforced. Protests in this connection have been forwarded to the Premier. It is hoped that the price of flour will drop now that the uevv crop is available.

Commenting on our remarks last week In reference to the need for pushing the claims of the MartonLevin railway, and linking up the Main Trunk line between these points, our Levin contemporary says:—“lt has always been our contention that the agitation for this line of railway should be taken up outside the districts through which such a line would pass. There is not a town or district all along the Main Trunk line to Auckland, but would benefit by the saving of two hours in the wearisome journey to and fro. Then again the same journey to and fro between New Plymouth and Levin. But the strongest argument to be advanced is that every passenger from the South Island to Wellington, and the Wellington people also, would hail with delight a reduction of two hours in travelling between Wellington and ail places north of Levin. The formation of a League and the circulation of a petition to Parliament would exert a pressure that could not be withstood. The leading men of Palmerston North, instead of looking upon this line of railway as a benefit to every place in the Dominion, allow selfish feelings to warp their judgment. Palmerston would not suiter, and they know it, but they want to keep their town as the bub, to the detriment of the public weal. All their efforts to kill the the project of a Hue of railway between Levin and Marton will prove futile. ‘ The Hue must come ’ is the expressed opinion of successive Governments, A light line is already in use between Foxtou and the Raugitikei river. With the river bridged and the line continued to Marton, traffic would soon be opened up. The Mayor of Palmerston, with his borough machinery, trying to hinder this work, is on a par with Mrs Partington with her broom trying to sweep back the breakers on the seashore, or King Canute defying the waves. It is a ridiculous attitude to take up, arid will end in discomfiture. We hope that Marton, New Plymouth, Taihape, Ohakune, Taumarunui and Auckland will take part in this agitation. And that every local body along the branch lines east of Franktou Junction will also take a hand.”

Says the Mercantile Gazette : “While admitting that it is very difficult to deal with the prospects for 1915, owing to so much depending on the duration o£ the war, and that as matters stand at present there is scant hope of its termination before the end of March, and perhaps just as slight hope that it will be over by the end of June, our produce for the current season is sure of a ready sale at high prices, so that for the next six months at least we have nothing to fear. If the war should end by June the European nations will be too exhausted to do much towards helping themselves. It will lake time for the nations to get their lands into a state of productivity, and while they are doing that there will continue to be a demand lor our produce, so that there is every probability that next season also our produce will fetch high prices. Thus despite the war the year 1915 opens up bright prospects for us. The position is one to inspire confidence and hope, both of which are essential just now.”