THE COST OF LIVING

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 85, 5 January 1920, Page 6

THE COST OF LIVING

Sir,—lt is interesting and instructive to note what the leading shopkeepers have said about the "wonderfully brisk" trade done for Christmas, 1910, and "the good prices so cheerfully given by the public for what they want." No doubt the large gratuities paid to tho soldiers is mainly responsible .for this. Hero in Wellington hundreds have felt tho hardship, with small fixed incomes of being unable to purchase at tho increased prices some little gift for a friend. I know several instances where oven the exchange of a Christmas card was out of the question. Tho charming pleasure of bestowing Christmas gifts to relative* and friends was denied, With the inflated prices, this bubblo of prosperity must booh burst. In thousands of. hoiuiia the purchasing oil food consumes murt of the nurse. Fruit, fish, vegetables, ore., are luxuries only for tho rich, aud the problem of feeding and clothing provos more and more upon the average 'ei?'zen. I observed carefully Mr. E. Kennedy's remarks before the Conciliation Council on what it costs a woman to live in these days. The health, happiness, and well-being of a nation depends upon tho woman who rears and cares for a family. How ran she now ke:|< her poise, with insufficient food, and clothing, as things now are? Her mifed gels saturated with the poverty thought', and this gets(repeated to the children and creates a wrong atmosphere. Wo all said when the war is over "things will bo better." Alas, it is wcjm aud worse— I am, etc., HOUSEKEEPER.