BREAD AND PATRIOTISM.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 May 1916, Page 2

BREAD AND PATRIOTISM.

WHAT IS THE BOAKD OF TRADE DOING? .. (From Our Own Correspondent). Wellington, May 24, The Prime Minister docs not appear to lie greatly perturbed by the reiterated suggestion that the Board of Trade is doing nothing to justify its .existence. He reserves his rare outbursts of indignation for what he regards as graver indictments of his administration. But members of Parliament, as well as the general public, are daily growing more curious to learn what the Government is actually doing to check the persistent advance in the cost of living. . Speaking on the Pensions Bill last night, Mr. W. Webb somewhat dramatically warned Mr. Massey and his colleagues that it" they did not do something to stay the extortionate hands'of the monopolists, exploiters and other wicked people who. are continually vq\iivg the soul of the member for Grey, there would be something like a revolution wlien they attempted to enforce compulsory military service. Probably Mr. Webb is hardly qualified to speak the last word on this subject, ; but there certainly is a widespread feeling in the House that with high prices for the lie!cessari'.'S of life, and with inadequate pension?, and allowances, "conscription" may impose ■ ery real hardships upon a very large section of the community. The members of the Board of Trade have not been idle since their appointlnent, and by this time they ought to be in a position to report' upon tlio bread and meat and butter questions, which they have been investigating very closely, and to say with some assurance whether or not the retail price 9 for these commodities can be regulated without dislocating the whole economic fabric of the country. It is rumored that there is a report from the Board somewhere, but so far there 'has been no indication of its early publication.