WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1916, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

WHEAT GROWING. I'UuDUCTION AM) PRICK (I'i'om Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington. Dec. 13. , Mr. \\ D. S. MacDamild, the Minister of Agriculture and Acting-Minister of Irdustries and Commerce, accompanied by the members of the Board of Trade, is leaving; for the South to eonfer with a representative meeting of the Canterbi.ry farmer* in regard to wheat grow-

to?- Early in the week it was reported that the Minister was prepared with a sehemc. which would ensure the production of -udieient wheat within the Dominion to satisfy all its own requirements, but when seen this afternoon Mr. Mac Donald modestly disclaimed the possession of any sovereign solution of an extremely difficult problem. He waa going to Christ-church to ascertain the views of the farmers at first hand, and he hoped to have their assistance in preparing a comprehensive proposal for submission to Cabinet. His own feeling was that there ought to he some established relation between the price of wheat and tiie prices of flour, and bread, and that while the farmers and millers and bakers were assured of reasonable Profits the public should not bo subject t-j exploitation by people who might Jir.v-: had novhing whatever to do with the production of the foodstuffs of the country. THE MINISTER AND THE BOARD

The Minister is finding the administration of :Ih. Jndusti-.»s and CoK'inerce Department a inuc-b more onerous under.' tsking titan it appeared likely to bo when lie took over the portfolio from ?.h. Massey. The prices of meat, butter,, v.ool and wheat all liuve.come under review since lie) stepped into the Prime Ministers shoes and have involved him in a round of work an.l worry that has left him with little leisure for anything else. Fortunately he has been able tj remit a number of minor questions to the Board, of Trade, which has gradually winning its way into public confidence by its quiet and effective methods md by its very considerable achievements. Of course, the Board has not bien able to reduce prices to the rates pvcvailing before the war, but it is largo ly due to its the cost of living during the last six months has risen at a smaller ratio in New Zealand than it ha? in any other of the oversea dominions. Mr. MacDonaid gives

it full credit for, its services in this direction and for the assistance it lias afforded him 'll the collection of :nforma' tion and the preparation of statistics . '' LABOR UXKEST. , There Is very general satisfaction here at the amicable, settlement of the- threatened labor trobules on the West Coast, and very particular satisfaction among those optimises who insisted from the first that the miners had too much sense era too much loyalty to carry illeir piotests to the length feared by the pessimists. There still is some unrest air.ong a section of the workers, attributed by some people to the machinations of a little group of busy-.bodies who always arc seeking to foment discontent, and by others to the enforce-

Hunt of conscription; but the majority of the men appear to be sincerely desirous for the maintenance sf industrial ptaee. Mr. Hcrries' intervention in the drivers' dispute and Mr. Mac Donald's firm handling of cit of living question have had a distinctly pood effect and a't tho moment the situation is more encouraging than it lias been for months past. Some trepidation is being expressed in connection with an unexpected assertion of the War Regulations, but so far there is 110 sign of any resentment provoked by this being- carried beyond a constitutional protest. PAYMENT OF WOOL BROKERS. The only point remaining foi settlement in connection with the purchase of the wool clip by t'lie Imperial authorities is the payment that is to b.yniado to the. brokers. The claim made by the brokers is for five eights of a penny per pound, this to cover the cost of handling the wool from the time it leaves the hands of the farmer until it reaches the ship. Sorting, grading, pressing, insurance, etc., have to be covered. The brokers are proceeding with their part of the work pending a settlement, and it is admitted that their claim is made without exact knowledge of what services they will have to render. They cannot tell oii' hand what work they will have to do, and what charges they will have, to meet, and probably they will be prepared to make a. readjustment of their claim laier if the circumstances warrant such a epurse. The Minister in charge of the negotiations indicated today that lie was quite satisfied with the spirit in wjhich the brokers were jnfieting the Government. v . .

FOOD PRICES. The most recent figures published by the New Zealand Government Statistician show that tho prices of foodstuffs have increased in this country by 20.47 per cent, since the outbreak of the war. The increase in Wellington city is set down as 1f1.38 pet' cent., while it falls as low as 11.5 per cent, in New Plymouth and rises as high as 2(i.)S per cent, in Wailii. The figures are secured by comparing the average retail prices of giocc-ries, dairy produce and meat at the present time with the prices ruling on July 31, 1 !11 4. The increases are large, but. it is interesting to notice that other countries, nearer to the war zone, have suffered much more severely. Statistics prepared by the British Board of Trade show that food prices ill England have advanced by 00 per cent, since July, 1014. Thif is the average over the main articles of food. Meat shows an advance of from 5d to Gd per pound, fish and egg<( have advanced SO per cent, and flour has risen 60 per cent The increases in the prices of bread, potatoes, butter, cheese, bacon and tea average 50 per cent. Sugar costs sld per pound in the United Kingdom at the present time, as against 2d per pound before the war, 1 id of this increase representing increased taxation The prices of Switzerland have shown a general increase of rather more than 40 per cent, during the war period. Milk, butter and cheese have advanced li< per cent., edible fats and oils 04 per cent., bread and flour s(i per cent., meat 42 per cent, and sugai and honey 84.9 per cent. Switzerland, of course, is surrounded completely by belligerent nations, and in these conditions is hard pressed to prevent food prices reaching starvation levels owing to the efforts (!•; her neighbors, particularly Germany, .!• buy in her markets. or way and Denmark have felt the ■ t -mditions severely. The prices of - sin Norway have advanced

more than 70 per cent., some of (he increases being beef !)r> per cent., mutton S-J per cent., butter 27 per cent., wheat (lour 42 per cent., rye flour Ho per cent., si.gnr 78 per cent. The increases in Denmark average 45 per cent.

Nome of the other increases that are reported are interesting'. The general cost of living in Italy has increased lie K per cent, since July, I'.IM, the largest ilieiease being U4 per cent, in the ease of meat. -Even Spain, apparently well away from the war area, lias felt the pressure, the cost of the necessaries of life in the Spanish cities showing an advance ot over l.j pei cent. The" 1 increase in Canada is set down at H.S per edit, and in the United States as 11 per cent. THE SECOND BALLOT.

The second ballot under Ihe Military Service Act was completed yesterday, j Hie drawing proceeding more rapidly than had been expected. The first marble was drawn I>\ the presiding Magistrate, Mr S. E. McCarthy, n few minutes after n a.m., and the last was drawn bv the Mayor of Wellington, Mr. •I P. Luke, shortly before G p.m Burin™ tlu- intervening period some ,1000 cards hart been lifted by the processes of the be 1 lot. and the names 011 these cards will b; published later in the week as an indication to the men concerned that they are required for Service with the Expod.tionavy Forces, This number is far in excess of the number of recruits actually reouired for the 2.lth Reinforcements, but a big margin has to he allowed for e>,c uiptions and medical rejections. Eighteen recruiting' districts were concerned in the ballot, three districts, ni'.mely No. 1 (Auckland City and Suburbs), No. 12 (Nelson) and No. 17 (Bay of Plenty), having provided their full quotas by voluntary enlistment. No. 1!) (Gisborne) required onlv a few mei. to complete its quota, and fell out of (be lmllot early in the morning. No. S (Hawcra) was the next district to be reported full. The ballot proceeded much more rapidly than it had done when the, machinery devised by the (government Statistician was being used for the first time. The draws followed one another in rapid succession, and most of them were lucky in the sense of producing a substantial number of live cards. At 5.30 p.in. 31 additional names were reqviied. seven for No. 2 District (Paeroa) niu! 24 for No. Hi (Milton). Several djaws were required to complete the operation, It is expected that the names of the men drawn for service will be availabli IV publication on Friday or Saturday of (his week. They have still to be checked by the Magistrate and the Government Statistician, but this part of the wcrk will proceed rapidly."