COST OF LIVING.

Shannon News, 9 March 1928, Page 3

COST OF LIVING.

LATEST ESTIMATE

(From" Monthly Abstract of Statistics) The retail price index (Dominion weighted average) for the three food groups as at loth January was 1558 (on die base average prices in the ;foir. centres during- the years 190p:i? - iilOO), an increase of 1 point as compared with that for the previous month.. •ad of 45.(5 per cent, over that for Fuly, 1914. The index number for the groceries ;>Toup has decreased 1 point; higl prices were ruling for potatoes in the ■Voutlv Island, but the peak had been passed in the North, and prices wen ailing. The dairy-produce index num her records a fall of (5 points; bacon ind butter again show a slight reduc ion in most towns. The meat group, -lie index number-for which is 2 points

ess than that for the previous month. las altered little; minor fluctuations ave taken place in the prices of beet and mutton.

Expenditure on food constitutes -omewhat less than two-fifths of the 'xpenditure of the average household. In order to present a more complete picture of movements in retail prices generally, statistics regarding the retail prices of clothing, drapery, footgear, and miscellaneous items of family expenditure are collected at quar lerly intervals, and when combined with the indexes for food, rent, fne; and light* approximately 87 per cent, of the average household expenditure is represented. The January indexes for food, fuel, and light have been combined with the November indexes for the clothing and miscellaneous groups and the Augustindex for rent. The resultant allgroups index is 61. S per cent, above that for July, 1914, so that it now takes £1 12s *4d on the average to purchase what could be purchased for £.l in that month. *Thc January price index for fuel and light on 'base average of years 1909-13'was 1875, being a decrease of 2 points since December. 1927