THE COST OF LIVING.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 October 1919, Page 6

THE COST OF LIVING.

STATISTICIAN'S DEDUCTIONS. (By Wire—Own Correspondent) Wellington, Last Night. Another rise in the cost of living is recorded in t!<c monthly Abstract of Statistics. The index number for the lood groups (groceries, dairy produce and meat) for August was 1552, an increase of 47.85 per cent on the number for July, 1914. The Government Statistician states that if the last ascertained rent index numbei is combined in its proper proportion with the food index number, the increase in the cost of living since July, 1914, is 32.85 per cent. The substantial increase in food prices for August as compared with July is stated by the Statistician to be due to increases in prices of groceries and meat, which to some extent have been counteracted by a seasonal fall in the price of dairy produce. The index number for the groceries group ban b n en forced up !>■=• rising prices for a number of articles, the most import- -'.'■■ ■■ -;:•:• ,t'" iVsi£ftv. rice, soap, tea, sago, tapioca, starch and potatoes. The

rrf:,\ : ,..:-'iM of '-ii:."ir \.a.r- risen in response to a rise in the manufactures' selling price. Soap prices have been affected by the rising tallow prices, while tea, rice, sago, tapioca and starch nave been influence'! by recent changes, in the Indian exchange rate, and by a shortage of supply. The prices of meat

hs,ve advanced considerably in a number of towns, pa.rticularln in Nelson, Greymouth and Tnvereargill, and to a lesiw extent in Auckland, Christchvroh, 'Dunedin and Hamilton. This increase is reported to be due .to the high nrices of live stock in the centres caused by the restricted railway transport, i