COST OF LIVING

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 104, 19 May 1937, Page 9

COST OF LIVING

Food and Clothing A continuous rise, since 1934, in ihe cost of living in New Zealand is l*e-

vealed_ m the lafest "Abstraet of Statistics." Prices of food, clothing, fuel and light and housing have all mounted steadily. Over the last lew months this movement has accelerated. Over the past three years the average increase in the prices of all these groups of necessities is given as approximately 30 per cent.— -moving up between 1934 and the end of last year from 29 per cent .to 38 per cent. of the Ievel of prices in 1914. The increase in the three food groups — groce'ries, dairy produce, and meat — is estimated at 11 per cent., the added cost being fairly evenly divided among the three groups. Rent shows a slightly smaller advance while the estimated rise in cost of clothing, drapery and f ootwear is hardly appreciable. Fuel and light is up about 5 per cent. All round living costs have risen at a faster pace during the opening months of this year. The percentage increase over 1914 prices is given as 43 per cent. for February. This compares with 33.8 per cent. for February last years, and 31.5 per cent. for February, 1935. Ih. February the index of prices for both the clothing and footwear, and the Tent groups in Wellington, passed the 1000 mark for the first time in six years. nl Auckland the fuel and light price index reaehed the highest figure since 1921.