H.—lB.

30

W. M. ROBERTS.

73. Mr. Veitch.] What is the name of your local association of grocers ? —The Master Grocers' Association. 74. You say it is for the purpose of preventing undue cutting of prices ?—That is only one of the objects. The other is in regard to giving credit—to protect the members. There are a certain class of people who trade from one grocer to another ; and the association has a system of detecting those people. That is the primary object for which the association was founded : and it is very largely used. 75. Supposing a new grocer did start and undersold all the members of your association, how could you deal with him ? —There are firms in Dunedin whose prices are cheaper than ours, only they will only sell in quantities. 76. You simply agree amongst yourselves that you will fix your own price at what you consider a fair thing ?—Just in " bread-and-butter " lines. We have no price-list of what lines must be sold at. If, for instance, there is an advance of 6d. a bag on flour, the secretary generally notifies members that on and after a certain date the price per bag will advance 6d. 77. Mr. Macdonald.] Any one who likes can start business as a grocer in Dunedin and become a member of your association ? —Yes, if he wishes. There is no coercion. 78. There are no steps taken to prevent him getting supplies if he will not join ? —No. 79. W T hat is the entrance fee ?—A sliding scale ; small grocers 55., up to £1. 80. Mr. Veitch.] There is really no entrance fee ?—No; simply a yearly charge to cover the secretary's pay. 81. Do you think that the effect of your association is to increase the cost of goods to the people ? —I think not. 82. The whole increase so far as you are concerned is due to the methods of the Merchants' Association ?—Not wholly. There is no doubt there has been an increase in the cost of living due to manufacturing. 83. Mr. Hall.] Is the cost of distribution any higher —the cost of management and handling these things ?—No ; our award has not been increased for four or five years —probably longer. 84. Mr. Macdonald.] I understand that over and above the increase due to natural causes—the law of supply and demand —the increase to the public is due to the Merchants' Association ?—When we want to buy lines we are constantly being met with this: that such-and-such a line has become tariffed, and the price is so-much ; and it is an increasing price. That is the harassing part of the retailers business —we are held up by tariffs wherever we want to buy. 85. Mr. Fairbairn.] In connection with tinned fish : do you think the consumption of tinned fish would largely increase if the duty were knocked off ?—I think it would. I may say that our colonial tinned mullet has increased in price. 86. Do you think that tinned fresh herrings would sell more largely if the duty were knocked off ?—That might be so. 87. So far, fish is not controlled ?—I am quite sure that if grocers could buy in the open market the cost of living would be reduced so far as our trade is concerned. Warren Allen Bowling, Property Salesman, examined on oath. (No. 15.) 1. The Chairman.] You are property salesman for Parke Reynolds ?—Yes. 2. You have had a large amount of experience in connection with property in this district ?— Yes, about two years and a half experience. 3. Within that two years and a half has it been your experience that the cost of land has increased in Dunedin ?—1 suppose it has gone up to a certain extent, especially in some localities. 4. Does that rise in price refer to both land used for building upon and to land which is not used for building ?—Yes. 5. The land used for building being the greater of the two ? —Yes. 6. In your opinion is the reason for the increase owing chiefly to two causes —first, the growth of the town ; and second, the cost of materials and increase in wages ? —I think it is more due to the demand. 7. That is, the increased population ? —Yes. 8. I suppose that in some districts, such as St. Kilda and St. Clair, the demand has been greater than in other districts ? —Yes. Ido not think the prices have increased in Kaikorai. I know of a section there that was sold recently which you could have got more money ior ten years ago. 9. Mr. Hall.] In that district prices have not advanced ? —No, not to any extent. 10. The Chairman.] In regard to what class of sections has the increase been most noticeable I Principally residential sites—quarter acres, and sites for good houses in fashionable localities. I do not suppose it has increased in South Dunedin ; but St. Clair and Musselburgh are more " toney " in a way. 11. Mr. Fairbairn.] There has been a distinct increase in land-values ? —Yes. 12. Mr. Veitch.] But the increase has been greater in fashionable localities ? —Yes. 13. Mr. Fairbairn.] Thirty-five years ago Mornington was built upon, and pretty well every available section was utilized. To-day those houses are old and out-of-date. It cannot be a fashionable neighbourhood until those houses are demolished ?—The streets are not wide enough. 14. But.if that particular locality were not built upon to-day, would that place not be an ideal spot for development ?—Yes. 15. So that those conditions have to be considered in regard to what is termed a fashionable ocality ?—Yes.