THE COST OF LIVING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1658, 6 January 1917, Page 3

THE COST OF LIVING.

The Monthly Abstract of Statistics issued for last month gives the usual tallies with respect to retail prices of commodities. The percentage of increase in price ruling on November I bib, 111 Hi, over prices ruling on July 31st, 1914, in groups shows that in groceries the increase in Auckland was 24.88 per cent,; Wellington, 27.59 per cent.; Christchurch, 20.95 pel' cent.; and Dunedin, 23.87 per cent., the Dominion weighted average being 23.52 per cent. In the dairy produce group (he increases were: At Auckland, 28.08 per cent.; Wellington 12.99 per cent.; Christchurch, 24.32 per cent.; and Dunedin, Ki.tio per cent., the Dominion average being 19.99 per cent. In the meal group, the increases were: Auckland, 13.91 per cent.; Wellington, .18.72 per cent.; Chrisichurch, 28.99 per cent.; and Dunedin, 25.95 per cent,, the Dominion average being 23.53 pel' cent. Taking the three groups together, the increases are as follow: —At Auckland. 2.1.28 per cent.; Wellington, 29.87 per cent.; Christchurch, 24.21'per cent,; Dunedin, 22.94 per cent., the Dominion average being 22.71 per cent. The increases in July, 1915, July, 19.1.9, and November, 1919, over the prices ruling on July 31st, 1914, in the four centres, show as under; — Increase Incr. Iner. July, July, Novem., 191 A 1919. 1919. per cent, per cent, per cent. Auckland 9.72 19.54 21.28 Wellington 14.77 20.31 20.87 Chris tclrch 9.53 19.97 24.21 Dunedin 13.05 18.43 22.94 Dominion average 12.15 19,25 22.71