STILL GOING UP.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 241, 8 October 1920, Page 6

STILL GOING UP.

THE COST OF LIVING. SPECIAL ICO-MAnraEE (FROFOSETJ. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. It is unfortunate. T>ut I haven't had anj opportunity of looking into the latest 'figures, declared the Premier when his attention was called by Mr. J. McCombs to a further rise in the cost of living disclosed in the official abstract statistics. According , to the member for Lyttelton they •sliow that the increase in the- index figure for two months (July and August) wae i>2 points, or an 8.6 increase in percentage. In the grocery group prices had practically doubled s'nee July 1014, the index figure for this group being now 2036. The average per centage increase for the combined food groope was now "1.4 per cent. Mr. Maseey pointed out that the buttsr committee was dealing wifh one phase, but wae too busy handling the larger question. Therefore Mr. McCombs gave notice to move that a special committee be appointed for the purpose.. • j BUTTER PRICES. It was suggested by Mr. <P. Fraser that the Board of Trade should prevent a charge of 3/10 per pound being made for butter, and make an allowance, or ad-j justment, when the_ Government had came to a decision on the matter. The Hon. E. P. i»ee repl : ed that it was not the function of the Board of Trade to direct people to sell at a loss. We have to see they sell at a reasonable price, he added. Mr. Massey on being appealed to, repl : ed: "'lt is not possible for us t(t interfere for the next few days. 'Until the butter committee reports, it is <juite impossible for the Government to decide what is going to be done."