LABOUR'S ADVANCE INTO POWER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1684, 10 March 1917, Page 2

LABOUR'S ADVANCE INTO POWER.

THE subject of the possible advance of labour into power in New Zealand was discussed by the Rev. \V. M. Grant, chairman of the Congregational Union, in a recent address at Wellington. He said: “It is evident that in this new world upon which we are already entering the power that will he most potent for good or for ill, apart from the Church of God, will be that of Labour. Many are looking forward with dread to this new development, but if it means a more equitable distribution of the world’s capital amongst those who work for it, why should it he feared? If it means jnster conditions from man to man, why should it he dreaded? If it means a lessening of those evils which in the past have too often harnessed Labour to its chariot wheels —drink and gambling, ignorance and lust —thank God for it. If it means the opportunity for every child to have the best moral and spiritual education, the best opportunity for development, for time and for eternity, why fear it? Certainly there will he great mistakes made —the pity of it! —hut great mistakes have been made hy Reudalism, and hy Capitalism, too, in their days; but these mistakes will pass away.”

points, ami meat 10 points, the weighted average for the three food groups showing an increase of 'lO points. The percentage increases for the Dominion for January, 1917, and January, 191(5 (as compared with July, 1914), are as follow: Groceries—l9l7 31.85, 1916 17.81; dairy produce—l9l7 21.48, 1916 8.33; meat-1917 24.96, 1916 17.50; —three groups—l9l7 27.01, 1916 15.51. For Wellington the figures are; Groceries —1917 35.82, 1916 16.75; dairy produce—l9l7 14.36, 1916 2.15; meat —1917 20.73, 1916, 16.15; —three groups—l9l7 25.21, 1916 11.82. An interesting table shows what it would cost to purchase in the various towns food which, on the average, cost £1 in 190.9-13. For the December quarter of 1916 the cost in Wellington would have been 26s 33d, in Auckland 26s sd, in Cbristmhurch 25s llfd, and in Dunedin 25s 4 : |d. This table does not take rent into account. The sovereign, reckoned at its full value in 1909-13, is now worth, on the Dominion average, only 15s 3d (December quarter, 1916) when applied to the purchase of food. Another table shows that an assumed weekly household budget of foodstuffs, which could have been purchased for 19s Bfd in July, 1914, now costs 25s l.jd, an increase of 27.38 per cent.