The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1915. STATISTICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 76, 29 November 1915, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1915. STATISTICS.

Those unfamiliar with statistical methods may be inclined to question the accuracy of results obtained from widely distributed sources such as appear in the recently published Cost of Living report. But ; it is pointed out, every month the Government Statistician receives returns of retail prices from 25 inspectors of factories, 88 grocers and 65 butchers, while twice a year the index numbers for rent are compiled from returns forwarded by 53 house agents. This means that, excluding rout returns, over 6000 price quotations are examined every month, and this number is being steadily increased. The Auckland Star, is of opinion that there is no doubt that the work of our Statistical Department is now sufficiently comprehensive and thorough to afford a sound basis for the compilation of a “tabular standard”, which would measure the changes in the purchasing power of money from time to time with approximate accuracy, and also that having reached that point it may well be. asked if it is not possible to apply -such a standard to all forms of payment in such a way as to minimise the undeserved losses inflicted on buyers and sellers in turn by the constant fluctuation in prices. If debts and wages and salaries and financial obligations generally could be periodically readjusted in accordance with such a “tabular standard,” <>s many eminent economists during the past century have advised, the world would free itself of the countless embarrassments due to the changing purchasing power of., money. This is almost too much to hope: all wo have arrived at definitely at oresont is that the cost, of living has risen steadily for some years, but since the outbreak of war in August, 1914, the rise has been much more rapid.