FOOD PRICES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 78, 3 April 1926, Page 11

FOOD PRICES.

PRE-WAR AND PRESENT. VERY LARGE INCREASES. Figures contained in the "Monthly Abstract of Statistics" show that New Zealand is well up on the list of countries in which the cost of living is far in advance of that prevailing before the war. In some countries there is an astounding difference in values—Bulgarian retail prices having advanced by 2598 per cent; Greek, 1576 per cent; Turkish, 1265 per cent; Finnish, 1030 per cent: Czecho-Slovakian, 763 per cent; Italian, 560 per cent: and France, 363 per cent. In the lower group. Germany shows the least increase in the retail prices of food items—22 per cent only, whilst Xew Zealand prices have increased 53 per cent, Australian 54 per cent, and Canada 55 per cent. South Africa shows increases of only 24 per cent. But in connection with New Zealand's cost of living, the Government Statistician states that there is a net increase for "all groups" retail price level of 62.4 per cent over the level of July, 1914. Fuel and light has shown the greatest increase since July, 1914. followed very closely by rent. Miscellaneous items, groceries, clothing, and dairy produce come next—in that order: while meat shows the smallest increase of all. Foodstuffs generally have risen less than other articles of domestic expenditure. The fall of 26 points since November in the clothing group is due to a fair drop in clothing and drapery, reinforced by a minor fall in footwear. The miscellaneous group shows a fall of 11 points, a slight rise in furnishings being more than offset by a fall in crockery, while the remaining sub-groups of the miscellaneous group have exhibited practically stationary price conditions. Fuel and lisht has shown little movement during the past quarter, though the general tendency is a rising one. Housing Costs Lower. Statistics of house-rents are collected semi-annually only. The results of the February collection suggest that the rate of increase in the cost of housing— a cost which has been rising continuously since the outbreak of the Grout War—is now slackening somewhat. Ten out of the twenty-five towns considered actually show falls in the rent index number for February compared with that for August last year, but in most of the larger centres the rise continues. Takin~ average rents in the four chief centres during the years 1909 to 1913 as base. Hamilton shows the highest present rentals (96.4 pe*r cent above base levels) followed closely by Wellington (95.4 per cent) and less closely by Whangarei and New Pymouth (each 90.9 per cent). Eotorua shows a level 52.5 per cent above the base level. Auckland 77.8 per cent. Wancranui 75.5 per cent. New Plymouth 75.3 per cent, and Christchurch 70.2 per cent. Timaru (66.7 per cent) and Taihape (62.5 per cent) are some distance behind. Considerably further behind still come Tnvereargill "(54 5 per centi, Masterton (52.7 per cent). Dannevirkc (52.1 per cent). Gisborne (50.8 per cent). Napier (50.0 per cent) A<=hbnrton (45.9 per cent), Dunedin (45 4 Per cent), and Nelson (44.0 per cent). F.iirlv low house rents are recorded in Blenheim (3.5.6 per cent). Oamaru (271 per cent). Gore (11.9 per cent), and Grevmonth (11.5 per cent), while Alexandra I —S.S per cent) and Waihi (—20.4 per cent) actually show rent levels below those of the four chief centres in the base period.