THE COST OF LIVING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 396, 31 March 1908, Page 2

THE COST OF LIVING.

Much has been heard of late on the subject of increase in the cost of living, as compared with what obtained some years ago. “Why do you apply for increased pay?” asked Mr Justice Sim, President of the Arbitration Court of a witness at Wellington recently. “The cost of living has gone up so.” “ To what extent do you consider it has increased ?” Witness: “ Thirty or forty per cent.” His

Honour; “I am afraid you aie not speaking by the card.” Witness : That is my general idea.” His Honour : ‘‘lt is' very general, lam afraid. The cost of living has not gone up 20 per cent, during the whole time that arbitration has been in force.” Mr McLaren: “ Statisticians differ on that point.” His Honour : I am informed otherwise by a statistician.” Speaking to a local tradesman yesterday, we were informed that the price of commodities had considerably decreased in Foxton of late years, and in support of his contention he quoted the following comparisons :

* s6lbs. Other lines also showed a substantial decrease. House rents had, however, risen locally, but not to any great extent. The cost of living to-day, compared with that ot twenty years ago in the South Island, was set forth in a table presented to the Conciliation Board at Rangiora by a witness who asserted that prices had decreased by half. In 1879 the grocers of Kaiapoi, he said, decided on the following rates :—Sugar s^2d (now 2d), tea 3s 6d (now is 6d), tobacco 6s (now 6s), currants yd. (now 4d), sultanas gd (now 3d), potted meats is 6d (now is 2d), soap icd (now lod), sardines is (now icd), rice 4d (now 2j4d), candles is 2d (now jd), mustard 2s 6d (now is 6d), cornflour icd (now 6d), matches icd a thousand (now 6d), coffee is lod (now is 6d), washing soda 2d (now id), carbonate of soda 8d (now 2d), oatmeal 3s (now 4s), cream of tartar 4s (now is), sago and tapioca 8d (now More figures were offered, but the Board expressed no desite to hear further. It is just as well for people to be seized of facts before crying out against the increased cost of living.

Cream Tartar 1891-2 s. d. 2 6 1907-8 s. d. 1 2 Sugar, 4olbs IX 6 8 9* Candles 0 10 0 6 % Starch 0 8 0 6 Treacle 0 10 0 6 Golden Syrup 0 10 0 7 Corn Flour ... 0 9 0 7 Cocoa, ilb ... 5 0 3 6 Sugar, per lb 0 4 0 2 Tea, per lb ... 3 0 2 0 Cun ants, lb 0 ey 2 0 4 Sultanas, lb... 0 10 0 5 Neave’s Food 1 4 0 11 Yi Dairy Butter 0 xo 1 0