COST OF LIVING

Hokitika Guardian, 17 January 1921, Page 1

COST OF LIVING

A SLIGHT FALL. i VIV TF.I.EO I* A PH—l* Kit CHESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Jan. 14. A slight fall iu the cost of living, as fir as food groups are concerned, is indicated in the December Monthly Abstract. The index number for the three food groups for the mouth of November (Dominion weighted average) is 1887, a decrease of twelve points as compared with the previous month’s figure and an increase of 76.36 per cent as compared with that for July, 1914. Tlie Government Statistic al! in an explanatory note states that tho decrease lor November is accounted for by a fall in price of items in the groceries and dairy produce groups. In the former groups tea, rice, potatoes and cereal preparations, such as rolled oats, show the biggest and most general fall in price, while the fixation of price of butter has accounted for ;i fall of sixteen points in the index number of the later group, (is compared with the jrevious month.

During the September quarter of 1920 the amount required on an average to purchase in each of the four centres that amount of food which would- have cost 20s oil an average for the four chief centres during the years 1909-13 was as indicated below, the corresponding figures for the June.quarter of 1920 and September quarter of 1919, being given by way of comparison :

Sept. June, Sept, 1920 1920 1919 Auckland 30 ‘>.3. “4 34 OJ 31 3.i Wellington ... 30 9 35 0 31 5:1 Christchurch 30 91 31 4 30 91 Dunedin 30 7 34 91 30 93 Average ... 30 7 34 8 31 1