RETAIL PRICES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, 16 May 1925, Page 11

RETAIL PRICES.

FOOD GROUPS UP NEW ZEALAND’S POSITION The index number for the three food groups as at March 15th is 1600, an increase of 40 points as compared with that for tho previous month (1560), and of 49.53 per cent, over July, 1914. Increases in the prices of bread and flour hava caused the rise of GO points in tho groceries group. Milk, butter ,und eggs have risen in price, causing an increase of 74 points in the dairy products group. Meat prices have remained steady in most towns, the fall of 10 points in tho Dominion index number being due to decreases in mutton prices in one or two major towns. Tlio latest available figures for the principal countries publishing statistics of retail prices of iood are as shown in tho following table: — *

ALL GROUPS The index number for all groups combined (i.e., food, rent, fuel and light, clothing, foot-wear, and lmV-nl-laneous) as at 'February 15th shows that tho index number has risen three points -since August last. Food prices have fallen a little during tho period, the index number as at February loth (on baso July 1914 euuals 10001 being 5 points lower than that -for August, 192.4. Prices in the clothing, drapery, footwear, and miscellaneous groups contiue to d'ecline tho rate of decrease, however, being slower than in the immediately prcceeding periods. Rents, however, continue on. the .up-grade, an increase of 64 points in the index number being recorded during the period. Kxnros.sed in percentages the, movements in the various exon ns sine-' August last aw Decreases—Food 0.34 per cent.; fuel and light, 1.04 per cent. ; clothing, dntperv, and footwear, 1.36 per cent; miscellaneous items, 2 per cent. Tnerea.se — Rent, 3.96 per cent.: the net result being an increase of 0.18 per cent in •‘all groups ”

Comparison Increase tween July, per 1914, and cent South Africa .. Mar., 1925 ... 21 Canada . Mar., 1925 .. 45 United States ... .. Dec., 1921 ... 49 New Zealand .... . Mar., 1925 ... 50 Netherlands (Am - sterdam) . Not., 1924 ... 50 Australia . Mar., 1925 ... 51 India (Bombay) .. Mar., 1925 r>5 Switzerland .. Dee., 1924 ... G9 Sweden. .. Dec., 1921 79s Egypt .. Dec., 1924 ... To United Kingdom. .. Mar., 1925 ... 75 Denmark . June, 1924 .. 100 Irish Free State. . Jan., 1925 .. 10.°, Norway .. 177 Franco (Paris 1 . . Jan., 1925 .. 308 Italy (Milan) .... .. Dec.. 1924 .. 479 Finland . Dec., 1924 .. 1060