THE COST OF LIVING.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 228, 24 September 1918, Page 7

THE COST OF LIVING.

(To the Edotor.) 1 Sir, —As a settler of over 40 years' r residence in this country I can claim to . have seen a., lot. of -changes in both the 9 cost of living and the wages received. I ; have wo-kacL from, daylight to dark to. ] earn anything from 3/6 to 6/- p%V day, . and had often to walk from 1 to 3 miles ■ night and morning at that, and could not always obtain constant employment. I The cost of living was higher in a good 1 many lines than it is to-day. As a samI pie I will quote a few of the prices I I have myself paid: Kerosene, lti/- per 4 r gal. tin; 2/- per lb. for butter; 6d. per . lb. for sugar; 1/2 for caudles; and many . other lines in the same proportion. Clothr ing was of a different quality to what it I is at present. We had to content our- -, selves with something that would give a r lot of hard wear and last as long as r possible without any thought of the look of it. And I can assure you that in a six days' ride you would not see a worker's wife or daughter in a tailormade costume costing anything from £5 up or a bangle or watch on their arms or the fancy shoes and the many-coloured I stockings in universal use at the present ' time. And I will venture to say that the • settlers forty years ago were quite as 1 happy and a lot more contented then ' than they are now, even with all their - holidays, picture shows and other dif- • ferent amusements included. I am of • the opinion if the people were content - to do with clothing and boots more in •' keeping with their work they would find ' that the high cost of living would be con- ' siderably reduced..—l am, etc., • OLD SETTLER.