HIGH LIVING.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 283, 28 November 1919, Page 4

HIGH LIVING.

Tiie public of Auckland during the pas» week spent roughly £16,000 on Takapuna races. Of this sum over £13,000 represents money contributed through the totalisator, for the upkeep of the sport generally, and for taxacion. The balance consists of gentwai expenses incurred in visiting the course. The total sum ds double wliat was spent in the spring of 191G, the last occasion when tli ere were two days racing at North Shore at) this season of tlie year. The cost to the community of this amusement has therefore doubled. At a time when the high cost of living, is being given prominence on every election platform it may not be out of place to reflect on what this means. The candidate bemoans the high cost of living, but might he not say a good deal with at least equal justico about " the. cost of high living,"' which certainly enters very largely into the problem with which the

average household is confronted to-day. There is much to be said for tho contention that people, while grumbling at the cost of existence, are at the same time failing to. observe that resonable economy which the situation demands. One Southern candidate, endowed with •learer vision or prompted by a spirit of randoiir. _has given utterance to this view. "We live," he said, "in a luxurious age, and do not think life worth living unless we have tlie best of everything. If the great general public acted together and refused absolutely, an article that smelt of a profiteer," the latter would not be with us long." The trouble at the bottom of it all is that the majority are too well ofT, and, having plenty to spend, do not hesitate to buy hi"hpriced goods, even while complaining°of their cost. If we followed the advice quoted above, we would abstain from making purchases of many articles that we can do without, aud prices would speedily fall. If we continue to pay fancy figures, a return to normal will be indefinitely postponed. The evil is not confined to New Zealand. An officer who has recently returned from London

is quoted as saying: ''"What strikes mo most about life in England to-day is the absolute nonchalance of people about spending money. Everyone is urged to economise. _.et I find that the theatres and restaurants are more crowded even than they used to be before the war. Extravagance seems to be universal." In such conditions as these it is difficult to inculcate a desire for economy. Every one wants to outshine his or her neighbour, no matter at what cost, and this is likely to continue as long as people have money I__ burn But there is not much wisdom in girding at the profiteer, and grumbling at the high cost of livin ~ so long as one of the main contributing causes of the evil is our own thoughtless | extravagance.