COST OF LIVING

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 171, 21 July 1910, Page 6

COST OF LIVING

GOVEICNMI-NT REPORTS A DECLINE. A very exhaustive inquiry has been made (states the annual report of the Labour Department) into the question of the renxs of houses occupied byworkers in the four chief centres of the Dominion. This report is now being prepared and will be submitted whilst Parliament is sitting. From information supplied to the Department there is undoubted proojf thai during the year just ended the cost of commodities in general use, and even house rents, were somewhat cheaper than for several years past. There has been a decline of from 5 to 10 per cent, in the rents of houses in Wellington city, and, although the drop was not a general one, still the evidence before the Department shows that there was a widespread disposition on the part of landlords in most centres —with perhaps the sole exception of Auckland—to reduce rents. Exactly how long this state of affairs will last it is difficult to say.

In regard to commodities, there was a very decided drop in the price of meat, which had maintained an even price for 17 years. This drop was experienced right throughout the Dominion, and the result is that meat can be purchased at a cheaper rate than for many years past. Other foodstuffs have also generally been lower in price than during the. previous five years. Potatoes, bread, and eggs have been generally cheaper than in previous years; butter, flour, and oatmeal have remained much the same as during past years, and have been subject to the usual variations in price during the twelve months. However, taken all round, fruit, meat, oread-tuffs, and rents have shown an appreciable decline ■over the prices i-ling during the last _ ew.yreais. " - " -- ~