DEARER BABIES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2927, 13 November 1916, Page 3

DEARER BABIES

£20 TO £25 HIGHER THAN IN 1914. This year's babies, like everything else, will cost a great deal more than the babies of pre-war times (says a woman writer in the "Daily Mail"). Inquiries, at some of the London stores show that almost' for the child's use has advanced in price. Food alono adds several pounds to the year's cost of the war baby. Taking an averago consumption of 400 to 450 pints of iwlk in a year, the rise of 2d. per quart means an annual addition to 335. to 375. Sd. Baby foods are up Id. or lsd. in the- shilling. Feeding bottles cost a third more, and the methylated spirit for heating the. night's food has advanced from 6d. to Is. a pint.

The little garments that baby wears will cost a considerably larger sum than those of pre-war times. Everything made of wool has risen 33 per cent, in price, all the cotton and wool mixture materials and garments-are 25 per cent, higher, and the wholly cotton ones, owing to the rise in Taw materials and labour, must be paid for at the rate of about 15 per cent. more. These rises affect the baby's long frocks, his flannels, cot blankets, woolly shawl, Vests, and shoes; his: toilet necessities, 'such as towels and the flannel apron in which his nurse arrays herself when 6he presides over the bath. • Baby's bath costs about one-third more; soap is a third dearer, the bath thermometer is up about 25 per cent., toilet powder— chiefly because of the rise in the price of ,tbe boric acid it contains —is 100 'per cent, dearer. .

Nearly all medicines aro much dearer. Castor, oil is doubled in price, olive oil is 50 per cent, dearer, glycerine costs '15 'per cent, more, lanoline. is three times as dear as it was, and dispensing bottles have risen. 200 per cent. Even dill-water is . up in price. Perambulators are about one-fourth dearer. What formerly was 6old for three guineas is now four, the eight guinea car has risen to £10 155., while a carriage do luxe costing £21 before the war is now £25. A cot that could be bought for 21s. 6d. is 355.; the fleecy wool mattress is up Is. ; a baby's basket, formerly 14s. lid., is now 17s. lid.; and a baby's •high chair costing 15s. has risen to 18s. Nurse's wages have .advanced a pound

•or two and her keep is costing at least one-third more—an increase of £10 or more a year. The all-round expenditure on a baby born this year is probably £20 to £25 higher than in 1914.

The story of the Angel of Mons has in some sort a sequel, writes the London correspondent of a southern paper. A Maori in a base hospital in France was to have his ]eg amputated. The chaplain was asked to tell the patient bo as to prevent the operation being tpo great a shock. "He was very weak," said the chaplain (Canon R. E. Roberts, vicar of St. Mark's, Peterborough), "but quite calm and brave, and I prayed with him, and advised him to pray immediately before the operation. _ When I nest saw- him lie said, 'I did pray, and' as I was just going off-under the chloroform a man all in white, and - with a beautiful face, •stood on my right side, and he took hold of my hand, and said, "Don't worry, you're all right," and I feared nothing.'"