FURNISHING THE HOME.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1920, Page 6

FURNISHING THE HOME.

GREAT ADVANCE IN PRICES. CONDITIONS IN TARANAKI. To equip his home the average buyer to-day has to pay approximately 70 per cent, more for furniture than was the case in 1914. Instances of the increase in furnishing lines were cited to a Daily News reporter- yesterday by the manager of a New Plymouth firm, and his experiences may be taken as typical of those encountered in the trade. He states that an indent was given for a line of Canadian chairs some time ago, but advice was received on Thursday that there was an increase of thirty per cent, on these goods, with a probability of a further rise. This is an ordinary stock chair, which was sold ill 1914 at 5s (id, and on his latest buying figures the manager had hoped to be able to retail these chairs for 10s fid each. The announcement of the advance, however, upsets these calculations, and based on the previous estimates it means that the chairs would cost more than £1 a-picce. Since March last, wire mattresses have increased twenty per cent., and the prices for all lines have increased materially on the 1014 basis, the range being from 50 per cent, to about 150 per uen't. Before the war a person in receipt of £3,10s per week usually fipent from £OO to £IOO as the initial outlay on his new home; but in lln«:e post-war' days the cost for the fame, articles to the same worker (the average person)— who now i;i in receipt of £5 10s per week—is from £l7lO to £IOO. Those in better occupations and receiving more money are required to pay more than a pro rata increase for better furniture.

Crockery shows an advance of over 300 per cent., the cup and saucer which was retailed in former years at 9d having now reached the price of 3s 9d.

Blind hollandis have increased 100 per cent. There is an improvement in the supply, and generally stocks in this trade are coming to hand more expeditiously.

In furnishing the home the purchaser to-day is affected by enhanced salaries which are being paid to bushmen, timber workers, cabinetmakers, turners, bedstead-makers, and glass-bevellers, polishers, shop assistants, and so on, to say nothing of freight, cartage, rent, and overhead charges. The same position has also occurred in aj] other businesses. A Southern representative of the trade remarked recently that to him it seemed strange Labor had not yet come to realise that nothing was gained to it by increased wages. The difference at least was always passed on to the consumer, in which connection it was patent that the workers employed in any one particular occupation had to shoulder the burden of the natural consequence of increased rates of pay in all other branches of employment to the end that the aggregate of higher values on all lines necessary to living easily balanced increases in remuneration to Workers.