COST OF LIVING.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19785, 25 November 1929, Page 10

COST OF LIVING.

J WORKERS' HOUSEHOLD j BUDGETS. j j PRIZES TO BE OFFERED. j The secret.". iy of the Canterbury : ..Mr George .Manning > has received from Mr Malcolm Vrasor. the Government Statistician, a letter setting out the proposals in connexion with the collection of household budgets, and .asking for the co-operation of students of the W.K.A. in the matter. As the W.K.A. is keenly interested every effort will lie made to get as many students as po-Mble to participate in keeping budgets. ! Mr Kraser, in his letter, sets out that | at the IoJ4, lfejii, and Conferences

of Labour Statisticians, held under the j auspices of the International Labour Office of the League of Nations, resolutions were arrived at urging all countries adhering to the League to prepare for the revision of their Cost of Livi ing Index Numbers, and adopt a uni- | form base in liKtl). As New Zealand de-

sires to give effect to these resolutions, a pre-essential is a .satisfactory collection of household budgets. The ideal requirement is to have the full twelve months, but past experience has proved that it is practically useless to ask people to keep records for so long a period. On two previous collections made by the Government Statistician's Office six months' records were asked ' for, but the response was not sufficient j and, on this occasion, it, is proposed to | ask for only three months' records, and j in order to leave something of summer

and winter expenditure with holidays in, it is proposed to take the collection for March, April, and May, 1930. A "Householder's Diary Account Book" has been designed for the purpose and copies will be available in February and will be supplied free to those willing to supply the desired information. As an inducement to keep accurate and detailed records the following money prizes will be offered:—For householders in the North Island: One prize of £2O, three of £5 each, and fifteen of & 1 each. Similar prizes will be offered South Island householders. The right is reserved to reduce the prizes proportionately if fewer than 500 completed books are received. The prizes will be awarded for the best properly completed books, being judged primarily on the accuracy and good faith of the information given, while writing and neatness will be considered only in relation to the probable clerical ability of the householder. The decision of the Government Statistician is

to be absolutely final. Special arrangements will be made to ensure that the identity of competitors will be known only to one or two senior officers, and will be held strictly confidential. The collection is to be confined to householders whose incomes, or earnings, do not exceed £364 per annum, or £7 per week. "It is a reproach to New Zealand workers," continues Mr Fraser, "that we have not hitherto obtained a really satisfactory collection of household budgets. Other countries appear to have been able to obtain successful collections, and I ask for the co-operation and assistance of

your Association in making this collection a satisfactory and successful one. The matter is of real importance to the workers and in their own interests they should help in supplying the necessary particulars." The secretary of the Wellington District Council of the W.E.A. has undertaken, during the recess, to bring the matter before members of the Association with whom she eomes in contact and has supplied a list of members, who are householders and are likely to be interested. The secretary of the Canterbury District Council of the W.E.A. is asked to help in a similar way; also if he will undertake to distribute books amongst members, or send a list of those who he thinks would appreciate books being sent to them. Mr Manning told a reporter on "Saturday that Mr Fraser's request would be complied with.