WAR PRICES.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15338, 23 July 1915, Page 5

WAR PRICES.

INCREASES IN NEW ZEALAND

STATISTICAL FIGURES,

(srrciAt to "the press/ , ) WELLINGTON. July 22. In the "Labour Journal" for July, the Government Statistician (M r Malcolm Fraser) continues his analysis of "retail prices in New Zealand for the period IS9I-1914," and gives also some Agwres bearing on the increased cost of living since the' outbreak of .war. Though the investigation gives increases 3ince the war began, it is not possible to say exactly how much of the increase jib due directly to the war. The prices used wore obtained from representative retail merchants in twenty-nve towns, ai.rl arc the predominant or most usual prices of the commodities m common ise. If is therefore claimed, with confidence, that the figure*, quoted show accurately the changes in the .cost of foodstuffs so far as they affectthe mnss of the comrminity: Food- . stuff? have hmen divided into three ■groups, namely, groceries, dairy produce, and meat. • GROCERIES. . In the first table (groceries) Mr Fraser finds that the percentage of increase is large « n d fairly constant m most of'the towns. The biggest increases are: Masterton 25 per cent, and Ashburton 26 per cent., and the lowest Oamaru 9 per cent, and New Plymouth 10 nor cent. In Wellington the increase is 17.04 per cent. Both Mastcrlon and Ashburton were at a level before- the war, so that the increase, has brought them up. The average increase of the four centres closely approximates to the average throughout the Dominion. DAIRY PRODUCE. In dairy produce the increases are much the same as for groceries, both in the weighted average and in -"£ fluctuations. The highest increases are shown by Palmcrston North 30 per cent, Wanganui and Oamaru 27 per cent., and the lowest by Nelson 10 per cent. The figures for ■ Wellington are 13.07 ier cent. The average of the four centres is rather lower than the -weighted average for tie Dominion, pointing to the fact- that the increases (mainly in butter and milk) are greater in the smaller towns. MEAT. Mr Fraser points out that the prices of meat show quite a different course from the other groups, and it will be recognised that peculiar influences have been at work. The first feature of the table J3 the fact that at three towns — Auckland. Christchuroh, and Nelson— the price of meat chows. a decrease, and it is very evident throughout thai the prices of- meat have not risen nearly as greatly as the prices of the other commodities. In the case of Auckland the price of meat advanced rapidly m 1913 and 1914, so that at the outbreak of war meat prices in Auckland were very greatly above the thre© other centres. This high level proved temporary, and the decrease in price is thus explainable. Both Nelson and Christchurch. suffered heavily from the shortage of shipping in connexion, with frozen moat, and this is reflected i* l the retail prices: /The arreatest increase' was in Palmerston j North, 24 per cent. The increase in Wellington wag 8.26 per cent. | THE AVERAGE INCREASES. j - The average increase for the four centres is given as follows: —Groceries 36.32 per cent., dairy prodnce 14.15 per ceiit., meat 1.88 per cent., three food groups 10.6 per cent.