COST OF LIVING

Hokitika Guardian, 20 November 1924, Page 4

COST OF LIVING

TJIK OFFICIAL FIGURES. N.Z. .15 PER CENT. AHOVK IT.EWAR PRICKS. AY ELLINGTON, November 17. The index nmnher for the three food ''roups :is :it September I.sth is 1.5-51, ;i fall of 1 I points as compared with that for August, and an increase of 11.95 per rent over July, 1011. Very liLtle movement has been recorded in prices in the groceries group, the index (1700) having remained stationery from August to September. The fall in the dairy products group has been caused by a considerable fall in the price of milk in two of the four chief centres, together with a fall in the price of eggs in all towns. The combined result of these decreases was a fall of (10 points in the index number. The rise of (1 points in the meat group has been caused by a number of small increases in several items in some towns. Al.l. GROUPS. The index number for all groups combined (i.e. food, rent, fuel and light, clohting and footwear, ami miscellaneous. for August, 1924, is now available' The index has fallen 10 points between February and August of this vear. Food prices have fallen during the period ; the index number (on base .1 ulv, 1011— 1 ()»;(>> falling from 148(5 in February to Ibid in August, a fall of ■J;f points. Clothing, drapery, and footwear price's have fallen considerable during the period.

A fall has also been recorded in lho miscellaneous groups, but not so much a.s in the case of the clothing, drapeiy. and footwear groups. The result of these decreases has to a large extent la-en offset by a rise of IS points m rents, which have increased rapidly (luring tile last, four or live six-monthly periods. The pi "rentage decrease for the six months was Food 1 .•>-’> get cent; fuel and light, -1.711 per cent., clothing, drapery, and footwear 2.fi> per cent.: and miscellaneous, 3.59 per cent ; while the iin reuse in the rent group amounted to 3.39 per cent- making the net fall for the six months in the "AH f!roups’’ 1.17 per cent. The latest available figures fur tlm principal countries publishing latisties of retail prices of food are is shown in the following table, the comparison being between July, 1914 and 1 ’24. 'unease

1924. per cent South Africa Sept. ]' Netherlands (Amsterdam) May 39 Canada S, 'l>G 10 Fnited States »»ie 10 Egypt '-May Id New Zealand Sept. In Australia Sept. to India (liombny) Sept. •*•> Sweden July r ' 7 Fnited Kingdom Sept. of. Denmark !M Norway JuueltO France (Paris) -Toly -’"0 Italv (Milan) -Inne HO Finland