COST OF LIVING

Hokitika Guardian, 10 May 1932, Page 2

COST OF LIVING

LATEST N.Z. FIGURES. A SMALL DECREASE SHOWN. By Telegraph—Per Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 9.

The Dominion retail prices indexumber lor the three food groups com,ined as at March 15 was 792 (on the a sis—average of prices ruling during he years 1926 to 1930, equals 1000), a lecrease of 18 points when compared , ith that for the previous month, and n increase of 12.7 pen 1 cent, ovei nl.v, 1914 food prices. The recent fall in Hour and bread rices is reflected in a. decrease of 54 •oints in the index number for the roccries group; while the dairy P lo ' ■nets index number has risen by three oints. Meat prices continue to fall lowly, the March. 1932, index f-or this roup showing a decrease of six points s compared with the February figure, nd of 41 points, or five per cent., since larch, 1931. When the Dominion index numbers •>r food and fuel and light for the ■ronth of March are combined with the Vbru.ary indexes tor rent, 'clothing, nd miscellaneous groups, the resultant 'all groups” index number is 868 (on ’’e hasp average of prices riding dur•lg 1926 to 1930 equals 1000), an in•ease of 38.2 per cent, over the July, 914, level of retail prices,

The February, 1932. Dominion ind"x umber for rent is 904, a decrease of 83 oints, or 8.4 per cent., since Febru--y, 1931, and of 119 points, or 11.6 «r cent., since August, 1929. The rent •idex number is now 69 pm - cent, above be July. 1914, level. The recent fall ■I reilts has not distributed itself evenover the 25 towns included in these tatistics. the decreases being considerblv greater in some towns than in thers.

In the period covered, rents have lllen on the average by 18 per rent, •i. Auckland, 14 per oopt. in Wellin"on,. 9 per rent, in Christchurch, and : per-emit, in Dunedin. It should he >orne in mind, however, that in the •*ses o” both Wol’ingtro and AucJ-T'nd mts.wpre relatively high in A "cst, 929, the index uumb''rs for ChristHufeh and Dun ml hi being both lower ban those tor either A -'okland or Welhigtori at that time. The pr'rittov has ■ow changed somewhat, for He Februry, 1932, index numbers show that ents are now lower in Aucktond rela■velv than in any o+hnr of He chief entr n s. while in Christchurch and l.niiedin there is now very little differnee in the average level of rents. The Tr pnington index is still considerably toiler than that for any of the other entres.

Tt is advisable to stress that the in'ex numbers in respect of rent indicate movement in the Inrge number of houses already let, •i ma"v cases for some time, and tlmt, hev do not purport to convey ntiv tatPiuent as t,» the price at which (ai'siiirr rdnommnde+toi, c; ho n n oh'toah'e fmm time to t>me h’’ v—uld--'a occupants of houses then being rc’et.