COST OF LIVING.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 May 1919, Page 6

COST OF LIVING.

A FURTHER DECLINE. The Government Statistician reports that the cost of living, as indicated by the index numbers for the three food groups (meat, groceries, and dairy produce) showed a further decline in the month of March. A decline was reported in February. The Dominion weighted average for the three food groups in March was 1505, as against 1522 in [February. The March number represents lan increase of 40.65 on the number for July, 1914.

The course of the index numbers isi as follows:—July, 1914, 1070; January, 1915, 1177; January, 1910,1236; January, 1917, 1359; January, 1918, 1427; July, 1918, 1491; August, 1918, 1507; September, 1918, 1509; October, 1918, 1514; November, 1918, 1537; December, 1918, 1608; January, 1919, 1553; February, 1919, 1522; March, 1919, 1505.

"Tie data from which the rent index; number is calculated are collected only half-yearly," says the Government Statistician, "and if the last ascertained rent index number (February, 1919) be combined in its proper proportion with the index number for the three food groups, it is found that the war increase in food, and rents since July, 1914. is 28J8 per cent. "It is not practicable at present to calculate index numbers to Bhow the increase in retail prices over the whole of the domestic expenditure of a household; but the three food groups and rent, in regard to which the above increase of approximately 28 per cent, has taken place, cover the most important and necessary items in the average domestic expenditure, and form more than half of the total"