THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 1912. COST OF LIVING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10611, 18 April 1912, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 1912. COST OF LIVING.

New Zealand is not the only sufferer from the economical produced by tJie ascendancy of Trades Unionism. .The covfc of living har-> g;c:re; tip enormously in the sister States since the Labour Party came to power. The Melbourne Ago has been led ito undertake an inquiry into the matI 'ter, and the results aire of general interest. It is alleged that the increase in tilie price* now in process of application bear no fair relation to the increased wages now demanded and other costs. This is a matter which should be the subject of careful investigation. The j)resent temper of ttlie public is one of great scepticism ■as to the justice of many of the augmented prices for the food sold in the, average city refreshment rooms and oafes. At one establishment the Melbourne- Age'investigator found' that" the price of the' entree had been raised from Is to Is 3d; joints from Is to Is 3d; poultry from Is Gd.to Is. 9d; and sweets from threepence to sixpence. Tn another instance a similar. increase was imposed, and the device ;was adopted of abolishing 8d sweets '.altogether and putting on a much better class of puddings, etc.. and charging 6d. At the restaurant in question, no alteration was made in tho charges for tea and bread and butter, or tea and cake. These remain ui'S they have been in the past, via., 6d. But in some largo establishments (the increase Jias descended even to therer.T light refreshments, and advances

ranging fixm 33 l-3rd per cent, to 100 per cent, are being made. A flcda and milk hitherto 3d is now charged 4d, and so on. In order to avoid an advance in price several esfciiblishments have reduced the quauiti<ties supplied to the customers. Where, I for example, three, small scones would be put before a customer with a cup of tea, only two sor.all soones, or one large scone, is now given. •■' Petty eooI nomies of all deeenptions are being tried—and more are to follow, if the views, of some cf the proprietors are given effect to. explanations- given of the gaucral advance are various, but all are. in -agreement in this: that the determination of the hotel and caterers' A\ages boards dominate* the situation. Several prcptrietoi'e are reported to have given effect to that determination, in advance of its legal operation—ono very largo employer certainly has deme eo. Policy and the ■scarcity of waitresses led the latter to come to the conclusion tfliat whatever j happened wages mxxeX go up, so the path of wisdom lay in giving increased wages at once—and passing the cost v'on to the sorely tried consumer. Next to the wages board, the alarming increases within the last three years in the cost cf provisions is regarded a& the most imiportant factor in the situation. "Groceries, fish, tea, sugar, rations—have all gone up alarmingly, - ' mid one authority. '"ldle increased 1 cost at wholesale ranges. taking the paces of five yeafe ago for the .purposes of comparison— from 25 per »eent to 200 per cent. A basket of fish Ifor which I gave 3b a few years ago costs to-day heitween 6s and Bs. Then you have to remember that Melbourne is the cheapest place for meals in the world. Tliis was brought about by intone© cut-throat ccanpe v tion, which modern industrial conditions and tlie combinations of the workers are now rendering impcstsiible of .continuance. We are obliged to harden--our prices simply because we cant help it if wa are .to make a fair .profit and- meet our 'wages and maintenance bills." Coincident witih'the beginning of the era fof increased prices as against the consumer, there has developed among rekfaunant keepers a movement for a earnibinatioii of forces, in mutual protection against ;adver®e conditions. The recently, formed caterers' associa?istoi is;, exported to- develop, into^ajww- 1 erful body, and to take .similar action to that of other asisooiated organisa-' tions ef ■ shopkeepers ;ahd traders. In. Sydney there has been a substantial \advance in the'.price of "boots and shoes, th 6 principal reasons being the high price of hides arid skins and the <Sacit that the imported articles were coming hi so quickly. It is also ex(peoted that another advance' in some lines of footwear will follow in Victoria.