COST OF LIVING

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1920, Page 2

COST OF LIVING

A 29 POINT RISE.

In the current Monthly Abstract gf Statistics, Mr Frager, Ggyprfj: meat Statistician, stated jdipt tile “cost of Jiving” index number for thp threg foot! groups for the jiionfh of (Dominion weighted avpiagej 16B§, an ipereati? of 29 points as ppm pared with the October number, and an increase of 52.80 per cent, on the number for July, 1914.,The data from which the rent index is calculated are collected only half-yearly, and if the last- ascertained rent index number (August, l!)19J is combined in its proper proportion with tjie index number ftir tjie three toed groups, it is found that 'the war increase in food lin’d rents:since July,

1914, is 37.88 per cent. It is not practicable at present, hp adds, to calculate index numbers to shojy thp increase jp ref.lijl pffceg <?yep the whole of tlie domestic expendijurj; of an average Ifoiisphold ; bgt the threp fpoij groups an 4 ip regard to lyhiej} the above" ificrpusp pf tipprojdmafejv 38 per cent, lips taken place, cpver flip most important and .necessary itenj.s jp the average domestic expenditure, and form mprp tjiap half pf thp fofaj, In the September quarter, 191 Q, file rejatiye wprth of the sovereign, as in, creased by ayprage prices ip thp three food groups—groceries, dairy ppodupe, a pel ineat —was 12s 9£d, as compared with the base (20s), tlie average of thp years 1909-13. In other wprds, thp amount of fpod which,pn the average of those years would have boat 20s actually cost in the September quarter of last year 31s IRI,