WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 February 1918, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

COST OF LIVING. . STILL RISING.. (Our Special Correspondent) Wellington, Feb 11. The current number of the Abstract of Statistics issued by Mr "Malcolm Fraser, tlie Government Statistician, shows that the cost of living so far as it is affected by the prices ruling for the commodities included in three food groups, groceries, dairy produce and meat, is still rising. Mr Fraser bases his calculations on the average prices ruling in the four chief centres from 1909 to 1919 and taking this as his index number (1000) sets out in higher numbers the advances that had occurred up to the eve of the outbreak of war, and that have occurred since. On July 31, 1914, according to the Statistician s system of assessment Palmerston North was the. cheapest market in the Dominion for the articles included in the three food groups. Its figure was 990, that is its prices were slightly lower in the aggregate than the average prevailing in the four chief cestres during the period from 1909 to 1913.

the magnitude ok the advance

The of other representative towns at this time were Wanganui 1030, Dunedin , 1042, Christchurch 1049, Timarn 1001, Invercargill 1064, Blenheim 1066, Gisborne 1073, Wellington 10S3, Oamaru ’OS(;>, Auckland 1090, Hamilton 1093. New Plymonth 1119, Taihape 1144. Greymouth 1167. At the end 'of the December quarter, after practically three years of war, the figures in these towns were Palmerston North 14 6, Wanganui .140 f, Dunedin 1365, Christchurch 13">8, Timaru '384, Invercargill 1416, Blenheim 1426, Gisborne 14.33, Wellington 1438, Oamaru 1416, Auckland 1440, Hamilton 1 383, New Plymouth 1438, Taihape 1465, Greymonth 1397. The average for the whole Dominion jnst before the commencement of the war 1 •was 1070, or air advance of 70 upon the average for the period 1909 to 1913, and the average at the end of last quarter 1417, an advance of 32.44 per cent upon the average prices being charged on July 31, 1914.

COMPARISONS. Some of the comparisons that are being made between the advance of prices in different towns without a proper understanding of the figures, are distinctly unfair. Palmerston North, for instance, has been quoted a.s a “horrid example ” because its prices of to-day are returned as 43.03 per'cent higher than those it was charging before the war, the highest percentage advance in the whole list But of course the percentage in this town is high because its pre-war prices were exceptionally low. Its present figni‘o, the real test, is 1416, while Wellington’s figure is 1458, Auckland’s 1440, Napier’s 1490 and Masterton’s 1441. New Plymouth, whose pre-war prices were high and whose percentage advance is only 28.51, has a figure of 1438, which is snbstanlaiger than that, of Palmerston North. Other towns that have been misrepresented in this way on account of the lowness of their pre-war prices are Wanganui, Blenheim, Invercargill and Dunedin.

THE CHIEF OFFENDER. The outstanding feature of the quarter’s figures, and, indeed, of all the returns since the commencement of the tvai*, is the advance of prices in Wellington. In the grocery gronp just before the outbreak of war Auckland’s number was 1,001, Wellington’s 1,038, Christchurch’s 1,046 and Dunedin’s 1,014. Now the figures are Auckland 1,343, Wellington 1,476, Christchurch 1,284 , and Dunedin 1,237. There was not a great deal of difference, as will he seen, in the figures of Wellington and Christ church on July 81st, 1914, but since Wellington prices have advanced 42.88 per cent and Christchurch only 28.75 per cent. In the dairy producegroup Wellington always has been high, but starting at the figure 1,168, compared with Christchurch 1,024, before the war, it has now reached 1,429, while Christchurch stands at 1251. wianixOTOx’s pre-eminence.

It is only in meat that Wellington compares iavourably with the other large centres and here, thanks to the independent action of one of the big freezing companies, it is below them all with a figure of 1,466, while Auckland’s figure is 1,610, Christchnrch’s 1,524 and Dunedin’s 1,511. Except in this particular commodity, Wellington tradesmen appear to have a free hand to get what they please for their goods. When the huge rents charged in the capital city are taken into account, it is a long way ahead of every other town, great and small, in the cost of living. Its figure is 1,376, while the figure of Auckland is 1,245, Christchurch 1,174, Dunedin 1,163, Hamilton 1,249, Gisborne 1,255, New Plymonth 1,228, Wanganui 1,231, Taihape 1,256 Palmerston North 1,208, Blenheim 1,15], Greymonth 1,129, Oamarn 1,149 and Invercargill 1,148. Its privilege of living at the seat of Government is ap extremely expensive one.