COST OF LIVING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1947, 4 March 1919, Page 4

COST OF LIVING.

SOME RECENT FIGURES,

Figure* published in the abstract of statistics show that at the end of the year the retail prices of groceries in the district had increased by 58.19 per cent, over the prices for July, 1914. The average increase for the Dominion was stated at 08.64 per cent. The abnormal increase is explained by the Government Statistician as, being due to (he big increase in the price of potatoes. In dairy produce the local increase since July, 1914, was 20.18 per cent. This, again, is lower than the average increase for the Dominion, which was set down as 33.40 per cent. In the meat group, the district does not occupy so favourable a position, the increase in price at the end of December being 48.15 per cent. This is nearly 10 per cent, more than the average increase for the Dominion, which was 38,72 per cent. Upon the three food groups mentioned the average increase, locally was 40.03 per cent, —a few points lower than the average for the Dominion, 47.81 per cent. For the December quarter, Wanganui was the cheapest town for groceries of the 25 representative toAvns of the Dominion, Invercargill occupying the prominent position at the other end of the scale, the difference between them being as 1523 is to 1750. There is very little difference between th 25 towns so far as the cost of dairy produce is concerned, the towns all being contained between the indices 4322 and 1484. Taihape headed the list as being the dearest place, and Whangarei the cheapest. The positions are somewhat reversed when the prices are considered. Taihape is at one end of the barometer, (he lowest this lime, while Greymouth soars right away to the top. Taihape s index number is 1390, and (Treymouth’s 1807. Wanganui occupies the ninth position from Greymouth, its index number being 1595). There is another eompletc re-arrangement of positions when (he test is applied to rent ligures. The little borough of Alexandra occupies a position just above the bulb. Waihi finding a position, a few points above —their index numbers being 489 and 49;> respectively. From there the towns string out at varying intervals. Wellington soars practically io the end of the tube. 1304 being the index number assigned to it.