WELLINGTON TOPICS

Taihape Daily Times, 1 March 1919, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS

COST OF LIVING FOOD PRICES WELLINGTON, Feb. 28. The January number of the Abstracts of Statistics, just issued by the Government Statistician, brings (he figures concei'ning food prices up to the end of last year, and thus presents a comprehensive view of the increase in the cost of feeding a family since the beginning of the war. Mr. Frase"r explains tjhat the large increase in the index figure between December, 1917, and December, 1918, is largely due to the abnormal prices ruling for potatoes in the latter month, but even after talcing this fact into account it is obvions that the housewife's troubles were more acute than ever during the twelve months immediately preceding the dawn of peace. It is incredible, for instance, that the additional cost of potatoes. can have raised the average index figures in the three food groups —groceries, dairy produce and meat —from 1417 to 1603 during the lasl twelve months. LOCAL ADVANCES

The position can be best illustrated by quoting the index figures in various representative" centres at the end of 1917 and the end of 1918. The advances are upon the figure 1000, assumed to represent the average prices in the four chief centres between 1909 and 1913, The advance in Auckland during' the last twelve months has been from 1440 to 1550, in Wellington from 1458 to 1646, in Christehurch from 1358 to 1597, in Duncdin from 1365 to 1644, in Hamilton from 15.16 to 1623, in Napier from 1490 to 1609, in New Plymouth from 1438 to 1566, in Wanganui from 1401 to 1535, in Taihape from 1465 to 1601, in Palmerston North from 1416 to 1543, in Blenheim from 1426 to 1577, in Greymouth from 1401 to 1559, in Oamaru from 1416 to 1700, and in

Invercargill from 1416 to 1752. Mr.l Fraser expects the subsequent dropl in the price of potatoes to materiallyi reduce the index figures everywhere! but he. does not explain its startling! increase in Oamaru and Invercargill! ...PUBLIC DISSATISFACTION I It was said by a prominent membe: I of the House of Representatives dur I ing last session of Parliament thai I the most damaging indictment of th« National Government was the literal ture issued each month from the of fie J of the Government Statistician. H| wus referring, ; of" course, to the Ab I stract of Statistics Probably noil many people interested in politic:! study this very instructive little publ lieation, but the Labour leaders ar( not allowing it to escape their atten tion, and they are sure to draw upon "it. for much of their powder and shot during the iiosjlj election campaign. They still, however, have to find an answer to the Government's contention that prices have advanced less in New Zealand during the war than they have in any other part of the Empire. POLITICS While the f Dominion" (seems ito be taking it for granted that the party truce will terminate immediately upon the return of Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward from their London mission, the "Post" appears only now to be awakening to the fact that neither members of Parliament nor their constituents are well disposed towards a permanent (coalition between the Reformers and the Liberals.' The evening journb* has heard rumours of the formation of a new party —not neccssartily violently antagonistic to the existing parties, but it thinks the ,'whole matter; 'will blow over and that the former relations of peace and unity will be resumed. As a matter of fact the new party is not a creation of members of Parliament alone .It has much of its driving power from outside ,and is not taking its cue from a company of disgruntled politicians.