A PRESSING PROBLEM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 272, 14 May 1912, Page 4

A PRESSING PROBLEM.

Steadily in New Zealand it is becoming more difficult to live. Articles that are considered common necessities in other countries are luxuries here, and the margin between wages and existence is ever narrowing. To obviate growing disadvantages the Government devises new means of aiding "the workers," by national provident funds, old age pensions, widows' pensions, and so on. Among the most serious results of the general upheaval is the tremendous increase in the cost of housing accommodation, due, it is explained, to the cost of timber, the ] cost of labor, the cost of bricks, and the cost of all building materials. The inability of the bulk of the people to find reasonable accommodation will eventually result in a diminution of the supply of tenants. The fact that the larger area of New Zealand is quite unpeopled makes it palpably absurd for the sparse remainder to pay enormous percentages for the privilege of living in badly constructed houses on handkerchief allotments. It is perhaps unkind to remark [ that the New Zealand landlord, because of the revolt of labor, because of the unskilful mechanic, because of the fact that large wages are paid for small bad work is demanding a higher percentage on his outlay than any landlord in the world—including the Duke of Westminster. Until a sane idea exists as to the value of the real worker (distinct from the mere highly-paid potterer), the general public of New Zealand will be victimised. Discussing another, and important phase of this subject—the glaring disparity between the increases made in wages and the prices per medium of which the increases are said to be "passed on" to the public—the Petone Chronicle writes as follows:—It is out of all reason that such prices as are charged should be imposed upon the people by certain companies and other concerns under the flimsiest of excuses. We can conceive of i slight advances here and there being found necessary, even imperative; but what has been happening of late can be fitly characterised by no other name than "robbery." When the proposal was made some few weeks back by Mr. Leo. Myers, of Auckland, to set up a Royal Commission to enquire into the cost of living, wages paid to workers, and kindj red questions, we could hardly realise the necessity for such a costly undertaking; but, really, in face of the facts now J presented, there would appear to be sufficient grounds for setting up the commission, and at once. The same body j might be ordered also to enquire into the I operations of certain rings and combines I which deal with the food of the people. There seems to be little doubt that a ring has been set up in Australasia the j operations of which arc going to increase to the consumer the price of the loaf. The sugar ring is seizing upon the i amount which it was said would be saved to the consumer by the taking off of the sugar duty, and now the price of tea is being jumped up because of some mythical connection between the China and Indian products. We are wasting our time as a people in discussing the fitness or unfitness of this or that set of men to govern New Zealand, while many phases of robbery and rascality are reported as having successfully developed without let or hindrance. It is about time that we left the shadow of political wrangling to occupy the attention of j doited partisans and turned to seizing | upon the substance of things which deepj ly concern the body politic.