B.—lB.

32

[h. l. young,

30. Have the trams, and the fact that people can get out to more fashionable localities more quickly, had anything to do with the increased demand in those places ?—ln the suburbs they can get a,more modern house than they can get in the city. lam speaking of the small four- and five-roomed house. 31. Mr. Veitch.] Have you anything to do with farming ?—Very little. 32. Mr. Robertson.] How much do you think the cost of erection has increased, comparing ten years ago with now ? —During the last year or two timber has gone up by leaps and bounds. I cannot tell you what the cost was ten years ago, but I suppose it was pretty much the same as it is now ; up to a year or two ago anyway. The cost of timber has gone up. 33. You do not know how much that would represent in a four-roomed house ?—About £25 or £30—that is, a four-roomed house. 34. Those old four-roomed houses letting for Bs.—in what localities are they ?—They have no conveniences—not even water in the house. 35. The Chairman.] Would you be inclined to say that the rise in these properties is owing (1) to the population, (2) to the desire for a better style of house and living generally, and (3) because the value of material and wages have risen ?—Yes, those things are really the cause, in my opinion. Sinclair Peden, General Grocer, examined on oath. (No. 17.) 1. The Chairman.] What is your occupation ? —1 am a merchant—a member of the firm of McFarlane and Peden. 2. Have you been connected with the business for some time ?—Twenty-five years. 3. In this district ? —Yes, in Dunedin. 4. Could you tell the Commission what is the position in regard to dealing between the grocers and the association of merchants in Dunedin ? You have, in certain lines, to buy from the association ? —Yes, there are certain lines we cannot procure direct ourselves, and have to buy from the association. 5. Could you tell us some of these lines ?—Fry's cocoa, for instance : at one time we were able to procure that direct, but for a number of years we have had to buy it through the merchants in Dunedin. 6. How long ago is it since that first began ?—Probably about seven or eight years ago. 7. Do you And that the buying from the merchants is more strenuous and severe than it was eight years ago ?—The price of Van Houten's cocoa has increased, and the wholesale price has increased accordingly. When we were able to import Fry's cocoa direct we were able to sell it at Id. per pound less than at the present time. 8. That is a profit taken by the Merchants' Association ?—You can come to no other conclusion than that it is a further profit for the merchant. 9. Are there any other lines besides Fry's cocoa ?—Yes ; Keen's blue, Colman's mustard. 10. Neave's Food ? —Yes, that is a tariff line now. 11. Keiller's goods ? —I am not aware that their marmalade is on the tariff. 12. Jams made in New Zealand ?—I understand there is an understanding between the manufacturers in New Zealand. They have a tariff worked amongst themselves. 13. You have no knowledge of that understanding ? —No. I fixed up my contracts previous to the arrangement being made. 14. It is a fact well known in the trade, however, that there is such an association amongst the merchants in Dunedin ? —lt is well known in the trade. 15. They have even held sittings at which the grocers have appeared before them ?—Not to my knowledge. 16. Is it in your opinion a fact that the cost of living would be cheapened if there was not an association intervening between the buyer and the seller ? —There is no question about it that so far as a number of our lines are concerned, which have been tariffed these last few years, the retail prices have advanced for no other reason, I think, than the fact that they have been listed by the Merchants' Association. 17. If you were allowed to deal directly with the producers in England you could buy cheaper ?— Yes, and sell cheaper. 18. Would the benefit of that go to the general public ? —There is no question about it. In regard to the lines listed by the Merchants' Association, in all cases the prices have advanced to the public. 19. Do these lines you speak of include a very large portion of the goods you sell ?—They are all pretty well everyday lines. 20. They have even included such things as sugar ? —The sugar question is a big thing. At the present price it is not dear to the consumer, although the profits to the manufacturer are very huge. It is not the retailer who is making a great deal of profit out of sugar. 21. How often do you turn over your sugar ? —As a rule, fortnightly. 22. What is the profit on an ordinary bag of sugar ?—About 6d. a bag. 23. Are not the profits on bags of sugar if turned over fortnightly greater than if it is bought in bulk ? —You can only get the profit on a bag of sugar once. 24. Tea is not one of those things on the tariff list ?—No. 25. Candles ?—They are open. 26. Soap ?—There is no scale for soap so far as I know. 27. Dried fruits ?—They are quite open, I understand. 28. Confectionery ? —We do not touch confectionery. 29. Coffee ?—That is manufactured locally. 30. Condensed milk ?—The Southland manufacturers have their tariff, and we have to buy in certain quantities.