FOOD PRICES.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 November 1921, Page 8

FOOD PRICES.

A SMALL DECREASE SHOWN. PURCHASING POWER OF SOVEREIGN. The Government Statistician’s index number for the three food groups as at September 15 (Dominion weighted average) is 1720, a decrease of 20 points as compared with the preceding month’s figure (1740), and an increase of 60.75 per cent, as compared with that of July, 1914. “In the groceries group (states an introductory note to the Abstract of Statistics) most items have remained practically stationary, the fall of 6 points being due to small decreases in several minor items. A decrease of 32 points, as compared with last month’s figure, is recorded in the dairy products group, the fall being due mainly to still further reductions in the price of eggs and to a reduction in the price of milk in one or two important towns. In the meat group a decrease of j 27 points is due to small decreases all round, the fall being most general in the case of joints.” The retail prices of certain principal items of food in Weli .iglon, Sydney and London in August, 1921, are compared,' with the following results:

The two prices for English meat are accounted for by the first being for English meat and the second for imported. Of countries for which statistics of retail prices of food are available, New Zealand ranks fifth lowest ' as regards percentage increase since July, 1914, showing an increase of til per cent. The figures for the United Kingdom have been obtained by cablegram from London, and those for Australia by mail from the Commonwealth Statistician, while information for other countries is as disclosed by the August, number of the Labor Gazette, published by the Minister of Labor, London. The order of percentage increase is as follows: South Africa, 44 per cent.; United Slates, 45; Canada, 54; Australia, 54; India (Calcutta), 61; New Zealand, 61; Holland (Amsterdam), 86; United Kingdom, 11-0; Sweden, 132; Denmark, 176; Norway, 190; France (Paris), 206; Italy (Rome), 309; Belgium, 319; Germany, 863; Finland, 1042. The average purchasing power of £1 as at September, 1921, compared with what £1 would buy in July, 1914, is as follows: Groceries, 10s Gid; dairy produce, Ils sid; meat, 16s 3sd; three food groups, 12s 3.]d. In other words, it called lor £1 7s B}d to buy food in September for what £1 was sufficient in July, 1914. The dearest places for food on the showing of the Government Statistician’s figures are: Palmerston North, Ashburton, Bieuheim, Gisborne. Whangarei, Dunedin, Timaru, Invercargill, Rotorua, Wanganui and Oamaru in that order. The cheapest are: Napier, Gore, Auckland, New Plymouth, Greymouth, in advancing order.

Beef, ribs, lb. Wei. Syd. s d London. s 1) d 2 d s 5 1 d 5 0 7 A Mutton, leg . 0 7 0 f.~ 2 7 1 o Mutton, loin 0 GJ 0 8 2 0 Butter 2 2 3 2 9 Sugar .... 0 6J 0 a 0 71 Bread, 21b .. 0 0 6 J 0 c>j