COST OF LIVING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 88, 30 August 1912, Page 4

COST OF LIVING.

THE COMMISSION'S REPORT. MUNICIPAL AND STATE CONTROL SUGGESTED. COMMUNITY CREATED VALUES. TRUSTS AND' COMBINES. By Telegraph—Own Correspondent. Wellington, Last Night. The report of the Cost of Living Commission is a voluminous document, and bears on its face evidence of tho fact that the Commission has gone exhaustively into the various aspects of the sub« ject on which it was instructed to report. A good deal of interesting details are tabulated, and many of them will be of considerable value to investigators of economic phenomena. It is shows thai under existing conditions the increase or diminution of the supply of gold has a marked effect on prices, but other factor* are the movement of population, labor legislation, the development of oversea markets, and monopolies and combines. The Commission wishes to make it clear that one effect of the recent change in conditions stands out very clearly—that the standard of living, as distinguished from the cost of living, hat steadily improved. The Commission goes on to point out that in New Zealand we are witnessing the same phenomenon aa is being exhibited in older countries, namely, th« tendency of the urban population to grow much more rapidly than the rural population. This, it points out, is a world-wide movement, directly affecting the proportion of population engaged in food production in comparison -with thir larger number engaged in industrial and distributive occupations, which means that the food supply, in proportion to the demand, is decreasing. The Commission's findings on this point are directed towards recommending an increase in the advantages of rural life and occupations. The Commission recommends (Messrs. Laidley, Fairbairn and Hall dissenting) that the community should secure an increasing share of community-created values. Dr. Hight inserts a reservation to the effect that taxation should not be such as would prevent a land-owner recouping himself in a good season for the losses incurred in a had season, and that the valuation should be carried out by an authority entirely outside political influence. As to the prices of commodities, the tendency of the Commission's report is to show that on the whole the protective tariff in New Zealand has not even ' benefited the worker. It is also gathered from the Commission's report that the cost of distribution of staple commodities—meat, fruit, fish, and milk—has increased out of all proportion to the cost of those articles, and the Commission's recommendations are in the direction of recommending muI nicipal and public enterprise to cope with : the difficulty. In regard to monopolies and combines, j the Commission is of opinion that legis- [ latjon is required to deal with this growing menace, though it expresses doubts as to the efficiency of such legist lation, judging from American experience. It also recommends the setting up of a permanent commission to watch the procedure of such trusts or combines. There is also an interesting table in the report, showing how the public are deluded in regard to the reputed weights of packeted and tinned goods of various . kinds. As to the land question, the Commission finds that the high price of land has not directly caused the high price of commodities, but this has resulted from the increased price of commodities, which has been brought about by the developments which have bridged the gulf between New Zealand farmers and th» markets of the world. j Tn regard to housing, the Commission advocates the establishment of small holdings in country districts of sufficient size to render the occupants independent of outside employment. It also recommends the establishment of village settlements near the towns, and a vigorous immigration policy. In regard to this latter, Messrs. Robertson and Veitch attach a reservation to tho effect that while not opposing immigration they suggest certain safeguards in the interests of the workers generally, and thai they do not desire to see the growth ol •a class of landless farm laborers.