THE MILLERS' ASSOCIATION AND PRICES.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 171, 27 February 1902, Page 3

THE MILLERS' ASSOCIATION AND PRICES.

TO THE EDITOB. Sir,—Your leader of the 22nd contains a few rather misleading statements regarding this Millers' Association, through the nu-iiiiH by which ihty control and raise the vf Hour and broad, consequent through the vast monopoly which ihey create by limiting tho supply wmch tho community demand. You stated thut. the higher priced have been charged in Wairiute for some lime, so that'there is not a great deal of likelihood of its being increased. This, sir, is very doubtful, as trie daily press of Christohurch clearly points out, a* this combine has entered ljiio n. sinister alliance' with the master bakers' Association, with tixe result that the cuusuiner is pUoed absolutely at the mercy of both. Jhe master bakers' AsiOoiaiiou practically includes the whole of uio vi'iuo of the uii/y of Christchurch, and are pledged to secure tho whole of th»: Hour lri.ni no other town than this combine. Consequently tho millers' combine can c.ar.e vvnab it likes. ..The master Linkers'Association do hot suffer unu iota boo..uan ti.ey sunply take it out of their oustotuerb. The effect. of this u.'.hjiy ulhande b.jc.viea trie millers bhd the bakers at once becomes apparent, ltd* fciaie of i.hu.gs has existed more or lesViu VVa'ihiato lor some time, and is nut the, result of -mr labour legislation, as you are so quoting. You, sir, ask luw noii lie statu hxed the price of labour and tho i.oors to be worked at iuo demand of the workers." , Perhap3 it has m 3,me cases, but what about that Uij.'oclawo£ Agricultural aud Pastora. workers who uto being daily exploited ih.-uugh the aoiiuus and monopoly of this mnlei s combine and its agencies. Tuen you ask again whotuer the state should allow the rising of prices ' by an Associativa) and you assert 1 Mat tins is ridiculous ou the iaco uf it. How you justify your assertion, lamat a loss to conceive. If such a* this are to be toler- „ ted in inis colony to absolutely control the principal necpssary of hie tne result' will be in tiie uW future exceeding y daugeroue to toe welfare aiid prosperity of tuis colony, lam very strongly ,of opinion that tiie tiaites and labour organ- >. i«ation3 will not bit idly,"by and tolera.e a duty to reniain upon the importation of wheai and flour merely, to appease the gratifications aud designs of "a few * capitalists to create ■'& huge fortune' through their monopolising the stuff of lifoand exploiting the general community. ;| Tnen again you assert that all social pro- ;- blcms adjust themselves if given time and little interference by. the at&Le. v This ■. again is not borne out by partial experience. Do you not k iow that Christianity. has been in operation for over ninetsen \ centuries 1 a .d many of these probietoß are, no nearer solution now than tney wore at ! the commencement of ihe tJnnatiaii, era ? Why the pulpit generally ignore these problems, ihe comuioieial .'interest did-. pise ihemVthe love of monej taacinatis tne minds of a verylarga secciou of the people, eapecially that ciass genualiy unuwu as capitalists, who are the creator of theap ; tiUata. Did pop the great Carneguf combination in the land of Uncle -Bam "caub" the militar y of the States to fchoJt down for u<- - ingto asseit 'their .nghta, and I am oi opiniou that tht>ie txidU a,class in this young colony, whbwoujd adopt the aamo methods'to accomplish their design*, if only tho same opportunities were to present inein*eives u in tue C*rnegio episode. 1 have no doubt soonei or later the 'necessity, legislation will be produced 'that w»'U eventually hold in cheek theae'trusts and ultimately p.oteot the Wei and 'liberties _©!., the people of, , thW&ir-youog colony,~l am, etc.*. . j