The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1915. THE COST OF LIVING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 53, 1 November 1915, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1915. THE COST OF LIVING.

Though undoubtedly the cost of living is a very troublesome question, and one that in war-time presses hardly, it is at least consoling to know that■ in this much-favored land we are infinitely better off than are our brethren in Australia or in Britain. A C'hristchurch Press writer, who has, gone carefully into the matter, sizes up the position when he says that jiobody expected that prices would not rise, and no honest person can pretend or has pretended, that prices ought not to have risen. If it can be shown that, New Zealand rs far better oft than 1 her near neighbours outside the war zone, and enormously better oil' than' Britain or any of the European belligerent countries, then there cannot be much room for complaint. Figures compiled by this authority show that for the week ending October S)th. the market rates lor Hour in New Zealand ranged from £l3 a ton in Dun-. |«lin to £l-1 a ton in Auckland. In Australia the price ranged from t'l(i 1.7 s (id in Sydney to £2O 7s (id in Bris-] bane, The September prices of meat ill Christchurch and Sydney were afi. follows, ill pence per pound:— |

According to the Federal Governmentj Statistician, commodities which would i have cost 17s 2d in 1904, would cost 2;is Id last July in Australia. In New Zealand the rise was from 19s S.'.d (in 1905) to 22s IJd in the June' quarter of this year. If it he objected that such a comparison is not to the point, there are the figures showing the percentage increases in the prices

from the .June quarter of 1914 to the Juno quarter oi' this year:— Australia. N. Zealand. Increase. Increase.. per cent. per cent. Food and Groceries 17.8 9.95 House Kent —5.8 food. Groceries, and Rent 8.1 oAii The rise in the cost of living in this country lias been very substantially less than in Australia. But comparison with the prices in Britain and in the enemy countries makes the com-, plaints of our Socialist politicians ap-, pear less than decent. According to. the "Economist," the cost of living in Britain was in July last 32} per' cent, greater than in July, 191-1. In Germany, tho authoritative figures printed in the ".Deutsche Reichsanzeiger" and "Statistiehe Korrespondenz," revealed an increase in prices amounting to •">() per cent, by March last. Jn conclusion, the Press writer again urges the necessity of thrift to enable us to better meet any bad times that may await us in the future.

Mutto Sirloin. Steak. Hep;). i Mutton (loin). (!. <1. d. (1. Ohvistc lurch 7!| 91 (>:'! o;' Sydney 12 14| s In Mel >ourne the average price of 111 Oil t w .is higher still. The prices of hotter. (lour, oatmeal and si gar are iilsf) instructive,: — Butter. Klour. Oatme il. Sugar lb. 2olh. 11) U). (1. d. (1. d. Christcl lurch Hi:',' 51 3 - II Sydney 178 61| SI o