A CHEAPER CHRISTMAS.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 December 1922, Page 4

A CHEAPER CHRISTMAS.

DOWNWARD TREND OF PRICES. A CONSIDERABLE DECLINE. The prospect of making the money go further this festive season than it has done for several years should cheer the housewife when she sets out to make her Christmas purchases during the next couple of weeks. Of course the days when the pound note would cover the purchase of the bulk of the Christmas lines has gone; but still prices are undoubtedly on the downward trend. . The Christmas of 1919 marked the peak of high prices, compared with which the prices ruling to-day show a decline of fully ten per cent. For comparative purposes the following table has been compiled, prices ruling in 1913, the Christmas immediately preceding the Avar and the consequent disturbance in the price-level, being taken as the standard, whilst the prices for 1919 and 1922 for the same commodities are appended also. Approximately speaking the £1 note of 1913 was worth only 9s in 1919, whilst to-day its value, on the same comparison, works out at Us, no inconsiderable step in the direction of a more normal level: —

1913. s. d. 1919. 1922. 8. d. 8. d. C lb currants (cleaned) 1 . 8 7 0 4 9 6 lb sultanas (cleaned) 2 3 7 0 4 9 1 lb peel 2 4 15 2 lb icing sugar S 10 12 lb dessieated cocoariut 4 1 0 5 3 bottles essence lemon 1 0 IB 19 1 bottle essence vanilla 4 6 7 1 doz. jelly crystals .... 2 0 3 0 3 0 2 tins baking powder .... 1 R 3 10 3 2 14 lb Jordan almonds .. 1010 1 lb muscatels 1 0 16 13 1 lb mixed nuts 1 0 14 12 3 tins pineapple 11 3 0 3 0 2 packets spice I bottle 40 oz. lime-juice 1 0 2 0 2 0 2 lb tea 4 0 5 0 4 0 3 lb seeded, raisins .... 1 0 3 6 2 9 Totals 20 0 45 6 36 7