PRICES IN BERLIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 June 1916, Page 4

PRICES IN BERLIN.

"DOUBLED AND TREBLED." The Vorwarts publishes sonic interesting figures about the price of living in Berlin. "A correct estimate of the increase in the cost of living can onlv he obtained," it says, "by comparing' the figures of March, li) 14, with those of today. Such a comparison will show that prices have been doubled, and in many cases trebled, since the war." Thus potatoes, which form the staple food of the poor in Berlin, cost fourpence for a small of 101b, as > compared with 2Jd in March, 1914. Sausages, which were lid a pound at that time, have risen to Is Cd a pound, while "leberwurst" has doubled and ham has almost trebled in price. The unhappy hausfrau has now to pay 3s a pound for ham and 2d for a herring which cost her less than Id before the .war. And a German "heringe" is very different from our fresh herring. Almost the greatest rise lias been in what the Germans call fats. Thus margarine has gone up from 8d to Is Od a pound, butter from Is ad to 2s OJd, Dutch cheeses from Is to 2s 4d, wallo flour is one-third dearer, porridge costs twice as much, and rye flour is half again as dear. And these products can only be had in small quantities. ; Very striking, too, is the rise in the price of vegetables and jams.. Cabbages which cost a trifle over 3d are now sd, and carrots have risen over a penny for the 21b, which are sold as the customary measure. Mixed vegetables, which are a favorite dish for salads, have jumped from o'/jd to 9d.

EFFECTIVENESS OF BLOCKADE. But the most astonishing rises is in cocoa, which has risen from Is 2d to 3s 8d a pound, while chocolate powder has risen from a shilling to 2s 3d. These items seem to point to tho. increasing effectiveness of the blockade. Coffee, which is the favorite drink in Germany, after beer, now costs 2s 4d a pound, instead of a price that variej from Is AA to Is Od two years ago, according to the quality sold. Sugar is only about a halfpenny dearer, and still sells for under 3d a pound. But that is accounted for by the fact that Germany, which formerly exported a large amount of beet, can no longer do so. The only article of consumption that has not risen to any appreciable degree is salt, which is only onetenth of a penny dear»r.. But this can hardly be much consolation to the Germans. The same number of the Vorwarts complains of the rise in the cost of gas and of all textile goods, owing to the fact that the Government, have taken over many of the cotton factories for the army. All articles made' of wool or cotton or leather are now very dear in Germany.