Rising Costs
p. 22 · Read in the full issue
Plight of Pacific Islands Planters
A SOLOMONS ISLANDS planter writes bitterly on the “profiteering" of the merchandising firms, but says that, as he is “small and unprotected", his complaints are not for publication. The following, however, may be published to show how the small men in the lesser groups are treated: — When the war started, we in the Solomons, heard with pleasure of how the Government was going to stop pro fiteering, and we poor “coconut-cockies" thought we would be able to enjoy the small rise in copra returns.
But this mail brings the invoices from
Sydney. Meat is up; rice, tobacco (which is understandable if the rise was only on new supplies from U.S.A.) and bags are up and going up to blazes.
Calicos are up; soap and milk are in creased. Benzine, from Sydney, is still the same price, but local prices are up 2/6 a case. Most of these stocks are pre-war.
Can anyone give us any reason for all these rises, and any comfort for the future? Why should soap go up 1/9 a case, and Nestle’s milk from 17/4 to £1 a case?.
Even our Administration has “put the boot into us”. We have an export duty on copra, adjusted on a sliding scale.
We pay at present a tax on the London price of copra, less £5 for freight, etc.; £5 for freight and charges is now a thing of the past, but still that is all the allowance the Government will make.