The Daily News MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4. REGULATING PRICES OF FOODSTUFFS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 4 November 1907, Page 2

The Daily News MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4. REGULATING PRICES OF FOODSTUFFS.

According to a promise made some time ago, the Government has brought in a Bill to regulate the price of Hour and oilier products. It aims at clipping the wings of the monopolist, be he farmer, dealer, or miller. The modus operandi is simple. Where the wholesale market price of Hour, wheat, or potatoes is unreasonably high, the Governor, otherwise the Government, directs the Court

of Arbitration to make inquiries, and if the average price of Hour in New Zealand is, relatively to the price of wheat in New Zealand, higher than the average price of flour in Australia relatively to the average price of wheat in Australia, unless in the opinion of the Court of Arbitration the additional price in New Zealand is justified by additional cosl of production; or if the average price of wheat in New Zealand has, by reason of any combination among the holders of stocks of wheat, or by reason of any complete or partial monopoly established by any such holder, been raised above the price which would he | determined by unrestricted competition, 1 these articles will lie admitted to the Dominion free of duty. The passing of the Bill should have the desired effect. With this machinery ready for use, monopolists and capitalists will think twice before applying the twist to the consumer, who has not had the best of treatment in regard to food products in the past. Had such ajrovision in our laws been made before, the workingman would have been a few pounds in pocket. There should be little or no opposition to this measure, designed as it is to protect the community against the rapacity of combines and speculators