CHEAPER LIVING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 58, 9 March 1932, Page 7

CHEAPER LIVING.

COMPARISON WITH 1928.

EVERYDAY NECESSITIES.

REDUCTION NEAKIiY

UNIVERSAL.

INDISPUTABLE FIGUKES.

The Government Statistician from time to time informs the public that th» cost of living is down just so many points, but it is doubtful whether index numbers convey very much to the people. In order to place something more understandable before the public, figures which are indisputable have been gathered from city shopkeepers.

There is hardly an article which comes within the term necessities of life that does not show a considerable reduction. For the purposes of comparison the prices of goods in 1928 are placed alongside those ruling to-day. The prices have been obtained from established shopkeepers, and sale or "cut" prices not considered. Furthermore, the prices refer to exactly similar articles.

The prices of foodstuffs, groceries in the main, have all dropped; meat and clothing are down; in fact, the only necessity that in most lines is dearer than in 1928 is tobacco and cigarettes.

It is possible that there are some shops where the goods mentioned below may bo bought a little cheaper, but this may be due to a particular line beirg a "cut" line, and it would be unfair to quote it as a ruling price. All the prices are taken from the books as entered up, and all the articles are standard lines.

Comparison of Prices. GROCERIES. To- To--3928. day. 1928. day. Butter . . 1/6 1/2 Matches . 0/8 0/C Sugar, 61b 1/5 1/3 Herrings 1/0 0/9 Rice, 31b 1/4 1/0 Haisins . 0/81 0/61 Prep. .Tarn . . . 0/8J 0/71 cersal 1/3 1/1 Sultanas 0/6 0/71 Cheese . 1/3 0/10 Flour, Bacon . . 1/4 1/0 Glib . . 1/7 1/4 Tea ... 3/2 a/0 Vinegar . 0/7 0/8 Baking Saudsoap 0/4 0/3 Powder 0/9 0/8 Prunes . . 0/8 0/6 Salmon . 0/7S 0/7 Extract Dates . . 0/4 0/3 Soap . . 0/2 0/U Macaroni 0/110/7 Tinned Cocoa . . 1/0 0/10 Fruit . . 1/3 1/0 Soap— Tinned Lge. bar 1/4 0/10 Tongue . 1/5 0/11 Sm. bar 0/81 0/6 Sago . . . 0/4 0/3 Granose . 1/0 0/10 Biscuits (no variation). BREAD. The prices given are for delivery at door. 21b loaf . 0/7 0/6 MEAT. Rump Loin clips. 0/10 0/7 steak . 1/2 0/11 Sirloin . . 0/10 0/7 Undercut 1/4 1/2 Gravy bf. 0/5 0/3 Sausages 0/6 0/5 Corned beef, Steak . . 0/8 0/6 silver side 0/8 0/7 Leg mutton Brisket . 0/6 0/5 (per lb.) 0/10 0/6 Pork— Mutton Loin . . 0/10 0/8 (shldr.) 0/6 0/41 Leg . . 0/10 0/8 FUEL. Coal — Honseh'd 6/0 5/9 Tea-tree, Kitchen C/ 3 5/0 lge. bag 4/3 3/9 Problem of Dress. When . approached for comparative prices in 1928 and to-day, the secretary of one of the city's largest drapery emporiums said that that presented something of a problem. Most of the wearing apparel, of women was subject to fashion. What might be an excellent selling line one day could not possibly be sold a month or so later at anything near its imported cost, even manufactured cost. Hβ mentioned that frocks, of which the first selling price might . lie 12 or 15 guineas, might eventually be sold at three guineas. It was the same with millinery. To make a comparison with four years ago was unsatisfactory. However, the various departmental buyers were approached, and on "steady demand" lines estimated the prices to be:— 1928. To-day. £5 5/ to £6 6/ £4 17/6 £4 17/6 £3 19/6 £2 19/6 to £3 9/6 £2 9/6 LEATHER BAGS. 15/6 12/0 Hosiery. Owing to the high rate of exchange, foreign manufactured hoeo is by many deemed too expensive to buy. Canadian hose is higher in price, but English is about the same. CANADIAN. S/ll 9/11 ENGLISH. 8/11 S/ll Gloves. Foreign makes are now dearer, but English remain about the same. FOREIGN. 10/6 12/6 ENGLISH. 10/6 10/6 Footwear. Because of the surtax of 9-40 tha introduced by the Government, and the existing rates of exchange, the price of imported footwear has shown only a very slight reduction. Of the footwear sold the overseas . article accounts for only a very small percentage, for practically all the trade is now done with New Zealand-made boots and shoes. In women's shoes prices take a wide range, but dealing with what is regarded as the average sale, the drop in boots and shoes would be from 25 per cent to 30 per cent in the locally manufactured article.

1028. To-day. SHOES. 16/11 12/11 BOOTS. 22/6 17/9 19/6 15/9 Men's Suits. In the opinion of the manager of one of the largest tailoring businesses in Queen Street, the biggest drop in the price of suits has taken place in the last six months. Material which six months ago cost 12/ a yard to buy could now be bought for 8/ or 9/. As a fair indication of the position, he said that a first-grade genuine tailored serge suit which cost £8 8/ in 1923 could now be had for £6 6/.

Collars, ties, shirts and sox, when of New Zealand manufacture, had all dropped in price, and cheaper lines were being placed on the market. Imported articles showed little reduction in some lines, and on others the price was slightly increased. Medicines. Tho prices of medicines show no material alteration. Drills now cost the chemists more than in 1028, but the price of the medicine supplied to customers has not been increased. Perfumery and Crockery. These lines are all imported, and thero are so many of them that it is difficult to quote any imrtieular article. However, generally speaking, because o< the increased duties, both crockery and perfumery are not lower in price than