LIVING STILL DEARER.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1920, Page 4

LIVING STILL DEARER.

HIGH PRICE OF GROCERIES. PLEA FOR 80M£ ACTION. By Tei«eraj*,—Prem Association. Wellington, Last Night. In the House of Representatives today, Mr/J. McCoaite (lyttelton) naked tiie Premier if he would Immediately set up a select committee of the House tu consider this session the question of making recommendation* f or » redaetlon in the cost of living. He explained that tiie Abstract of Statistics which was published yesterday shows a further alarming increase la tbs cost of living in New Zealand, Um i«crease in the index figure for th« tWt months, July and August, being .82 points, or an 8.6 increase in neremtsjps. In the grocery group prices have practically doubled since. July, 1814, the Index figure for this group being now 2.31 The average percentage increase for tfc» combined food groups is now 71.4 pat cent. Mr. MeComb* sak! he put f'-i----lar questions earlier in the session, whs* the Premier said he would probably ask the Butter Committee to go rata ths matter, but this was not done. The Premier said he did not think th» Butter Committee had quite finished its labors. He agreed that'the matter was an important one, but hj» hod fiot yst had an opportunity of lookinf into the figures. He would take Alt curly opportunity of doing so.