EXPLOITATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1910, 3 December 1918, Page 3

EXPLOITATION.

OUTSPOKEN CRITICISM. “It has been a very pitiable thing in connection with this epidemic to find that exploitation has been practised in things necessary to ‘save human life,” remarked the Hon. J; T. Paul, in the Legislative Council on Wednesday afternoon. “I think it is deplorable that any class of trader should resort to this kind of thing. A Member of this Legislature remarked to me yesterday that this country is destined to be the home of exploitation, and it looks uncommonly like it. Sometimes there has been an excuse for a rise in prices, but even when there has been no excuse the price of commodities has increased enormously. Take the fjuestion of drugs. I myself purchased a mixture, the prescription for which I gave to the chemist. The cost of the ingredients was something like Is, but I was charged 4s. It seems to me that some of our traders have lost their moral sense. They simply say, “The people want this thing, although it. is true that they may die if they do not get it, but we will get a certain price even if some do die.” I believe we shall have to have a law against exploitation of (his sort, and it the culprit is found guilty the penalty will have to ho very severe. I do not think that the majority of onr decent traders will stand for this kind of exploitation, but it is practised, and in my opinion, ought to be stopped.”