The Hawera Star. MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1924. THE COST OF LIVING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 20 October 1924, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1924. THE COST OF LIVING.

Delivered every evening by 5 o’cioex m Hawera, . Manaia, Nonnanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Opunake, Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, Hurley ville, Patea, AVaverley, Mokoia, AVhakamara, Ohangai, Meremere, Fraser Road, and Ararata.

Latest figures gi\ T en by the Government Statistician show that the three food groups—groceries, dairy produce, and meat —have increased in jn-iee over July, 1914, by 46.26 per cent. The highest increase was in January, 1921, Avhen it stood at 78.13 per cent, above July l , 1914. There Avas a steady fall to 38.60 per cent, in January, 1923, but this AA r as folloAved by a rise to 50.37 per cent, in May, 1924. Since then there has been a .downward tendency to 46,26 per’ cent, last month. There is considerable variation in different parts of the. country, and Ave find that in September, Napier A\dth 36.41 per cent. Avas loAvest on the list, and Ashburton Avith 61.26 per cent, was the highest. Why there should be so great a difference between these places a\-c cannot sav, but probably local conditions are the main cause. No country in the world has returned to pre-Avar prices for foodstuffs, and it is doubtful if any ever Avill. The United States is holding enormous supplies of gold, but the cost of foodstuffs there in May last was 38 per cent, above July l , 1914. Denmark is one of the richest countries and lias had remarkable success with her dairy produce, but avc note that the cost of foodstuffs in that country Avas in January last. 94 per cent, above July, 1014. In the- United Kingdom the figure for August Avas 04 per ceiit. France (270 per cent, foi June) and Italy l (418 per cent, for June) are cheap places in wh-ich to live compared with Finland (937 per cent.) and Germany and Russia, for which countries figures arejiot available. We do not think that the cost of liA r ing matters very 1 much if a country i H able to find employment for all its people and to pay 1 them wages and salaries Avhieh Avill enable them to live reasonably’’ AA r ell. In NeAV Zealand -there lias not been a great deal of unemployment for many months past, and there does not appear to be serious danger in this direction in the future. The demand for our produce is likely to be maintained, and the returns from exports are expected to be satisfactory l , and the season is jwoving very favourable for production. Moreover, the country’s financial position has improved greatly in the last year, and the outlook is regarded as bright by these who are closely associated Avith finance. We do

uot think that the cost of living need cause anxiety. Prices will readjust themselves as time passes, but some fluctuations are always likely to occur, and over a period of years it will probably be found that on the whole there will be a fail’ relationship between average earnings and the cost of living. Of course, if people are inclined to. be extravagant or wasteful they must expect to find that it will cost them more to live; in fact, in considering the question -of high cost of living it is well to try and distinguish between that and the cost of high living.