The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1915. LEGISLATIVE WASTE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 136, 11 February 1915, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1915. LEGISLATIVE WASTE.

(With which is incorporated The Tajhape Post vna Waimalino News.)

The Ordcr-in-Couneil fixing the price of foodstuffs has been cancelled. Mi*. Massey lias just discovered that it would be nullah' to wheat-holders to take from <them the profits that are obtainable under the laws of supply and demand, and so with "imost the same breath that he revokes the law fixing the price of wheat, he. provisos 1o investigate lie action oi: Auckland bakers in raising the price of bread. We cannot forget the concern for the people- Mr. Massey exhibited during' the discussion in the Mouse on the "'Regulation of Trade and Commerce Act" when it was before Parliament, and, consequently we cannot help feeling some disappointment at his confession thai the Act; and the Government's* protestations against unfair trading were either a sham, or that they arose from quite an inadequate power to grasp the real situation. The Government acclaimed its intention to protect the people, from the rapacity of any vulture who might seek to exploit them in their misfortune, and yet, almost with one stroke of the pen, the Premier revokes the Act giving power to fix prices, and promises, apparently in all seriousness, to investigate the action of Auckland bakers in raising the price of bread to fivepence a loaf. Of course, Mr. Massey can not interfere with untrammelled trade in bread any more than he now can in the price of wheat. We fancy the Premier, after revocation of the Order-in Council, making investigations and calling upon wheat holders to give evidence as to what wheal cost them, and then on the evidence causing them to disgorge their unfair profits and fix the rate they shall sell at in the future; it is too absurd; and it is just as unfair and logically contradictory to talk about investigating the action of the bakers. If the bakery are to be compelled to sell in accordance with their actual outlay, then the wheat, grower must work under similar conditions; if it is just for one to exploit the people, the right to exploit cannot logically.be' denied jo

the other. After all the cost of the Regulation of Trade and Commerce Act, and of the Commission lhat was sol up under the Act the Government confesses its inutility and uselessness, and "with one stroke of the pen it admits its helplessness to save the people from the semi-starvation that is almost, sure to result if by any unfortunate happening the war drags on for any lengthy period, and without any definite propped of cessation, it is a a open Keci'et that the Order-in.-Council iixiug the .price of wheal never was effective, for what wheat holders could not charge for the grain it recovered by putting a pretty heavy price upon the sacks containing it. The burden of taxation has been added to by thousands of pounds for worse than nothing, for the Act has been no deterrent to the rapaciousness of. exploiting monopolies nor any protection to the people. We do not complain so much about the revoking of the Regulation of Trade and Commerce Act, as we do al the want of foresight that incurred the enormous cost of its enaction and operation. Other countries have successfully legislated in the interests of fair trade and for the prevention of monopoly that would press unjustifiably heavy on the people, while we in New Zealand, with all our boasted talk, have now to admit that we have wasted our time, raised false hopes, and incurred an expenditure that will permanently add to the hurd's of taxation and without securing one benefit to our people'.