COST OF LIVING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 234, 4 October 1927, Page 7

COST OF LIVING.

LITTLE CHANGE IN AUCKLAND. BEEF AND MUTTON DEARER. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, this day. The retail price ipdex (Dominion weighted average) for the three food groups as at August 15 was 1535 on base: (average prices in the four centres during the years 1900-13 equals 1000), a decrease of 6 points as compared with that for the previous month and an increase of 43.5 per cent over that for July, 1914, according to the Government Statistician.

There has been little movement in the prices of groceries, the index number for this group showing the small increase of 2 points. The summer time reduction in the price of eggs, and a slight fall in the charges for bacon, have caused the index number for the dairy produce group to fall 58 points. Beef and mutton now show a tendency towards a general increase in prices, more marked than in the previous month, resulting in an !S----point increase in this group. Food prices are at present showing a falling tendency, seasonal influenccs e no doubt accounting in part for this movement. The rent index shows a further increase over that for the previous collection (in February last), the present figure being 89 per cent, over that for July, 1914. In the group "clothing, drapery, and footwear" another fall has been recorded, clothing and drapery items causing this downward movement, which was counteracted to a certain extent by a slight increase in foot wear. There has been very little movement in the ,?roup "miscellaneous items."