THE COST OF LIVING.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1916, Page 6

THE COST OF LIVING.

To the Editor. Sir, —Much lias been written on the above subject, and there are many who are staunch believers that the purchasing rowers of the pound note are a Ions; way below what 20s could secure in the years past. To the casual reader this may appear to be the ease, but is it so? The mechanic and the business-man of to-day are earning larger salaries, and because the wages received do not leave any margin to put aside for the proverbial "rainy day" they imagine they are being exploited by others in business whose duty il is to provide the necessaries of life. Now, let one if it is possible, put the clock by. nay. not tlie ciock but the years and instead of looking forward see how the things stood then. Very well; make it 50 years ago —a period surely long enough to afford comparison. Now Zealand was merely a small place as far as population goes, and the wage earner then did not handle anything like the big salaries secured now. Then, there were no Trades' Unions to secure big wages, no Parliament to introduce eight hours, and a weekly half-holiday. Nothing of this description existed, and the worker, skilled or otherwise, who secured Ss per day was somebody. Allowing £2 Ss as an average wage, let us move to the workers' expenditure side. The figures quoted here are published from the Nonunion, and show that lOOlbs flour then cost 20s, whereas in 1010 it costs 15s, 101b bo?,' of tea £1 13s, over 3s 3d lb. now Is lOd lb: sugar was retailed at (> ; > dlb then, now 3d lb: rice. 4UI lb. now 2d lb. From these figures it will be seen that the present day laborer has the pull in the matter of most goods for his money, and this being so, bow is it that there is one long appeal for bigger wages to allow them to enjoy something more than an existence? The answer appears to be summed up in three words, "luxuries and extravagance.'' Harking to live in a small 3 or 4-ronnir<] cottage. For music he had the accordcon and his social evenings were few ar.d far between. Now, the worker wants to move out every evening to some cla«s of entertainment; he insists on his halfholiday and the majority, at least, hclicve in having a day off at the racesrecreation after a strenuous t.pell at the bench or counter. The wife is not a whit behind. When she seeks a house she wants one up-to-date in every respect, a bathroom, electric light, nice lawn, and the furnishing, well, it must be of the best, and (be eidest nirl leaving school must learn music, but it must be the piano. And then as to clothes. A man likes to be well-dressed, and so the mechanic moves round ill the best tailormade suit and his wife looks chic ai:d smart ill clothes that enhance her anpearance but must also make a big hole i.i the weekly wiges. No one niic'st ions what a worker seail do with his wages, lie has earned it and has the right to spend it in any direction he desires. Put if his cash is being swallowed up in oxIpenditnre that is not wholly desirable, |if legitimate, he does not really possess J a reason to hold out his hand for higher •wages to meet increased costs. In a jlesser degree the business man is in the jsame position. 11 r. A. to get round the jounirv finds it a convenience to purchase a motor-cvele and does so. Mr. B„ believing it will make his business .issume a more prosperous aspect, then l invests in a motor-car, and then Mr. C. [icasons that if I!'s business can run a ! -ar so also should his. Then B and C ;to get something out o; the cars, get out of the business, and fresh faces take ■ip the reins of management, and the c;m.'Crns are saddled with additional exiciise. (hi top of all this comes the var, and instead of everybody making in effort to pay up cheer ? ully and at -lie same time keep within means, they set up a cry of more wages on the part of the employee, and further retrenching of expenditure by the employer. Things are assuredly 110 worse in the year 1010 than they were in lS!i8, but the mode of living is decidedly higher. Instead of raising wages ar.d trying to reduce expenditure let one and all realise his individual position and live according In means. The man who exist: for racecourses only will ever bo in cur 'midst—he hag to be tolerated, so also other misfits in society ivho toil not neither do tiiey spin, but despite these barnacles it is easy to foster a spirit of contentment, and the sooner a commencement is made in this direction the. better fcr the communityl am, etc., rrvy