COST OF LIVING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1883, 28 September 1918, Page 1

COST OF LIVING.

LEAST INCREASE IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND.

A statement hns lift 1 )! prepared by tlie Government Statistician (Mr Malcolnr Eraser) showing —(a) the war increases in the retail prices of food in various countries as set out in official particulars, and (h) the increase or decrease in house rents in New Zealand during the war. Mr Fraser states that in Australia and New Zealand, approximately, food represents 3(5 to 40 per cent, of the total family expenditure, and rent 15 to 20 per cent. lie further says; —“lt will he understood that an inquiry dealing with food and rent covers probably 50 to 00 per cent, of the expenditure of the working population. From July, 1014, to July, 1018, the retail food prices in New Zealand advanced by 30.35 per cent. During approximately the same period the Dominion weighted average of rent decreased by 1.51 per cent. The food prices and the rent combined show a weighted increase of 24.(50 per cent, during the war (to July. 1018.)’’: — The following statement gives the percentage increases in cost of living (retail food prices) since the beginning of the war in various countries, as shown bv official publications :

From ’ Per July, 1914. rent. to Country, ini'reuse. MuitIi, 1918 Norway 195 August, 1917 Austria 173 April, 1918 Sweden 147 ()etober,1910 (lermany 109 June, 1918 United King, . 108 Mun'h, 1918 Switzerland 90 Jnnuury, 1918 Frame 91 September, 1917 Italy 88 July, 1917 Netherlands 81 June, 1918 Canada 72 July, 1917 Japan 0(1 April, 1918 Uni. States 50 July, 1918 New Zealand 39 July,1918 Australia 31