H.-18

COMMISSION.

Islington, Governor. To all to whom these presents shall come, and to Andrew Eairbairn, Esquire, of Christchurch ; Edwin Hall, Esquire, of Auckland ; George William Leadley, Esquire, of Wakanui; William George Macdonald, Esquire, of Westport; John Robertson, Esquire, M.P., of Levin ; John Ross, Esquire, of Dunedin ; Edward Tregear, Esquire, 1.5.0., of Wellington ; William Andrew Veitch, Esquire, M.P., of Wanganui: Greeting. Whereas it is deemed expedient to appoint a Commission to inquire into and report upon the subject of the cost of living in New Zealand, and the necessity or expediency of legislation with respect thereto : Now, therefore, I, John Poynder Dickson-Poynder, Baron Islington, the Governor of the Dominion of New Zealand, in exercise of the powers conferred by the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1908, and of all other powers and authorities enabling me in this behalf, and acting by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council of the said Dominion, do hereby constitute and appoint you, the said Andrew Fairbairn, Edwin Hall, George William Leadley, William George Macdonald, John Robertson, John Ross, Edward Tregear, and William Andrew Veitch, to be a Commission to inquire into and report on the following questions ; — 1. Has the cost of living increased in New Zealand during the past twenty years ? If so, has that increase been more marked during the last ten than during the previous ten years ? 2. Has that increase, if any, been more marked in New Zealand than in other English-speaking countries ? 3. To what extent is the increased cost of living, if any, the result of a higher standard of living ? 4. In what special direction has the increase, if any, been most marked : (a) Rent; (b) food ; (c) clothing ; (d) lighting and fuel; (c) household necessaries ; (/) attendance ; (g) education ? 5. To what extent have monopolies, combines, trusts, and other associations of manufacturers or sellers of the necessaries of life contributed to the rise in prices ? 6. What has been the effect on prices of the tariff reduction ? 7. To what extent, if any, has the rise in the price of land, during the past twenty years, contributed to the rise in the price of commodities ? 8. What effect has the demand for New Zealand products beyond the Dominion had on prices of such commodities ? 9. What effect, if any, has the labour legislation had on the increase in the prices of the commodities of life ?

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