COST OF LIVING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 251, 17 July 1919, Page 4

COST OF LIVING

■■» A QUESTION OF PRICES. \ witness who gave evidence 'eefore the Arbitration Court on Tuesday challenged the accuracy of prices of (ertaiu articles of common consumption as Riven by the Go\eminent Statistician. He quoted the official figures and nave his own figures in parentheses as follow: -Shoulder ot bacon,- Is., per lb. : (Js,' Bd,)j middle cut and roll of bacon, Is, Old. per lb. Is. 7d. and Is. 8d.); ham. Is. sd. per lb. (Is. Bd. and Is. 10d.); cheess, Is. ljd. per lb. (Is. 3d. and Is. 4d.)j coraliour, 7d. per lb (Od.)j rice, 4d. per lb. uU and 7d.); tapioca, 33-d. per lb. (Id. and «d.); sago, a<J per lb. 1,-lt.l. and tkl.); oan- . ilenscd milk, 9d. per tin (Wd.)j tea, Is. 113 d. per lb (2s. Id. to is. Bd., the price of the proprietary teas generally consumed); sugar, 3d. per lb. '-W- , Information gathered by a reporter yesterday indicated that the Government Statistician was nearer being r.ght than Hie witness. Tho oliicinl figures are intended to give, average prices. They are based upon information -jollected by the labour Department's inspectors from retail grocers who are asked to r.uote "tho price at which the bulk of each trader's business in that article is done." Ihe reporter found in most cases that the goods could bo bought at certain shops at the prices quoted by ihe Government Statistician, though the average over a number of shops might give a slightly hisher price. For example, shoulder of bacon can be bought at lid. and Is. per lb., and ham nt Is. 6tl. Cheese is offered at Is. Id. and Is. 2d. —this is mild cheese of good duality. Cornflour is obtainal/e at 7Jd. tier lb. There are various brands of cornflour, somp cheaper than others. Condensed milk, which was sold tor sd. per tni four years ago, is costing 9d. in some city shops. It can be bought at Rd. per tin. The selection of tn is a matter of taste, but tea for which (here is a demand can be obtained at 2s. ?d. per lb. Sugar can still be boucht nt 3d. per lb., ! though an advance to 3Jd. is taking nine. The increase was due to the recent advance in the wholesale nri n e. ATost retailers appear to have charged Hie extra halfpenny on sugar they had in stock. W oi-Ws »ro sp"in" at the old "lice until they have to buv at the higher price.