WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 March 1919, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

(Special Correspondent.) Wellington, Feb. 28. The January number of the Abstract of Statistics, just issued by the Government Statistician, brings the figures concerning 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 tl: ■■ war. Mr Fraser cxlaina that the larj.-. increase in the index figure between December 1917, and December 1918, is largely due to the c.bnormal prices ruling for potatoes in the latter month, but even after taking this fact into account it is obvious 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' figure in the three food groups, groceries, dairy produce and meat, from 1417 to 1603 during the last 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 WIS. The advances are upon the gures 1000, assumed to represent the average prices in the four chief centres between 1909 and 1913. The advance in Auckland rtunng the last twelve months has been from 1400 to 1550, in Wellington from 1458 to 1648, in Christehurch from 135S to 1597, in Dunedin from 1365 to 1644. in Hamilton from 1516 to 1623, in Napier from 1490 to 1609, in New Plymouth from* 1438 to 1566, in Wanganui fiom 1401 to 1535, in Taihapc from 1465 to 1601, in Palmexston North from 1416 to 1543, in Blenhem from 1426 to 1577, in Greymouth from 1401 to 1559, in Oamam from 1416 to 1700 and in Invercargill from 1416 to 1752. Mr FTaser expects the subsequent drop in th,e price of potatoes to materially reduce the index figure everywhere, but ho docs not explain its startling increase in Oamaru and Invercargill. PUBLIC DISSATISFACTION.

It was sa.id by a prominent member of the House of Reps, during la3t session of Parliament that the most damaging indictment of the National Government was the literature issued each month from the office of the Government Statistician. He was referring, of course, to the Abstract of Statistic*. Probably not many peoplo interested in polities study this very instructive little publication, but the Labor leaders are not allowing it to escape their attention and they are sure to draw upon it for much of their powder and shot during the next 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 Dominion seems to be taking it for granted that the party truce will be terminated immediately upon the return of Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward from their London mission, the Post appears only just 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 journal has heard rumors of the formation of a new party, not necessarily violently antagonistic to the existing parties, but it thinks the whole matter will blow over and that the former relations of peace and amity 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 force from outside and is not taking its cue from a company of disgruntled politicians. # ========