THE COST OF LIVING.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 57, 12 April 1912, Page 14

THE COST OF LIVING.

Sir,—Just a few words in reply to your invitation to old residents to deal with H.N.B.'s letter re cost of living. I came to Wellington in 1884. At this time meat was lid. and 2d. per lb., and it was a common thing to order a shilling roast, slb. or 61b. A year later I removed to Ohristchurch, where I frequently bought small shoulders of prime mutton for 9d. Prior to 1882 no meat had been exported, but by 1890 the export trade had amounted to £1,087,000. This accounts for the people being called upon for an advance of 200 per cent, on this one item alone. "What about potatoes, kerosene and bacon,?" says H.N.B. Yes, and what about rent? The house I occupied in '84 in Sussex Square, Wellington-, at 12s. 6d. per week is to-day nearly double, and nothing has been done to it except giving it a coat of paint. Kerosene? Yes! In 1900, Gd. a gallon duty was taken off; almost the whole of this has been collared by the Oil Octopus. Bacon in 1884, and' for several years later, was 7d. and Bd.; to-day best cuts are Is. and, like butter, likely to rise still higher. Clothing, including boots, has advanced enormously. I know of three rises of 10 per cent, within the last 10 years in boots. Hides of leather,,bought at the tannery in '84 to '90 at Is. lb. are to-day Is. 6d. per lb., nearly 50 per cent; bo workers get worse leather in their repairs or rdpairer is worse paid OT customers pay advance in price- for old quality. Potatoee 15 years ago in Wellington generally averaged 4s.

cwt. For several jtears now, they have been Bs. to 10s. cwt., an average advance of 300 Lwr cent. Hardware, sundries, and innumerable other items could bo quoted, but from actual expi'ri i>lloo as a factory worker for .years and a );ii)iih\ina:ii, 1 can say that it is l>o to 'M per icent. harder to live on present wages than it was 25, or even ID, years ago.—Yours, etc., Nelson. f B. UULBERT.