COST OF LIVING.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20567, 8 June 1932, Page 10

COST OF LIVING.

FALL MAINTAINED. COMPARISON OP RETAIL PRICES. SOME SCUSTANTIAL REDUCTIONS. The fall in the cost of living has been well maintained during the past year, according to comparative figures ot retail prices in May, 1931, and May, 1932, which have been supplied to The Press by leading firms of Christchurch. The decline in prices is most pronounced in meat (among foodstuffs) and in fabrics of all kinds, particularly apparel. There have, however, been substantial reductions in other staple foods such as bread, milk, and butter. As one merchant put it, the market all over the -world to-day is a buyer's market; and the buyer in New Zealand, though he is worldng on a reduced income, is by no means the least fortunate.

The keen competition in business of all kinds, which always arises in years of depression, leads everywhere to pricecutting, and makes it impossible to obtain absolutely, standard prices for such comparisons as aro given below. The figures, therefore, are not completely representative of all shops and districts, although they do represent the prices now being charged by some of tho City's principal firms. Groceries and Dairy Produce. The decline in the prices of the principal foodstuffs during the past year is shown below: — Cheaper byBread 2d to 4d a 41b loaf. Milk Id a quart. Butter l§d to 3d a lb. Bacon 2d lb. Hams 3d lb. . Flour Is 3d a 501b bag. Cheese Id a lb. Other foodstuffs, which are cheaper, are wheaten and oaten products, honey, eggs, confectionery, and biscuits. Sugar is dearer by 2s a bag, the price of jams has advanced on account of the duty on* sugar, and imported dried fruits and canned fruits are dearer because of the abnormal exchange. Among household necessities soap is cheaper by Id a large bar. It was estimated by a leading grocer that the average weekly order shows a reduction of five per cent., when compared with the average weekly order a year ago.

Fall in Meat Prices. Inductions in the price of meats are even more substantial, ranging from 10 to 25 per cent. Percentage reductions (May, 1932, compared with May, 1931) on some of the principal varieties of meat, arc approximately as follows : Reduction, per cent. Beef— Sirloin .. J2J Rump steak . . .. 18 Topside steak .. .. 25 Stewing steak .. .. 20-30 Corned silversida .. 16 Mutton— Legs ~ ..10 Shoulder .. .. J2 Loin .. io Chops Prices the same. Pork— Loin .. .. 20 Pork chops .. .. °7 Tripe .. ..25 "Bumping Along the Bottom." "World prices for drapery have been reduced considerably during the past year. As the manufacturer at Home says, 'they are bumping along the bottom,' " said the manager of one of the City's chief retail drapery stores. "The fall of overseas merchandise purchased in New Zealand is not so marked, since tho cost of landing, if tho goods are foreign, is prohibitive largely on account of the break in sterling. Foreign dresses, for instance, cost as much as 200 per cent, to land; that is to say, a garment costing £1 from the maker would cost £3 landed. At the moment, therefore, of this merchandise is virtually impossible, even if it is bought at a very low price. What I have said will apply equally to millinery and many fashion lines.''

Foreign importations being prohibited, the present time was Britain's opportunity, ho continued. The soft-goods houses generally to help the Mother Country would favour elimination of the last 9-40ths duty levied by the Government for income purposes/if tho duty could be reduced to the 1928 level, tho importation of British goods would be helped immeasurably. Even then British merchandise could not be landed at less than from 50 to 70 per cent, on cost, which should be a sufficient protection for the local manufacturers. New Zealand Manufactures. New Zealand manufacturers-of madeup apparel had increased considerably, and Dominion-made woven goods had had the field almost to themselves in certain lines, particularly men's underwear. Men's and boys' wearing apparel was now made largely in New Zealand, and little or none was imported.

"It is right to say that the New Zealand mills have improved their products considerably," he continued. "While the prices are lowei it can be claimed that the merchandise is considerably better. Better-quality wool is being used —largely, no doubt, on account of the low prices of wool—and the public is getting n better article in consequence. While some manufacturers still find things difficult, others are reporting trade as buoyant and have increased their staffs." Discussing the fall in prices, he said that, taking quality into account, blankets cost at least 20 per cent, less than they, did a year ago. The weight was good and the wool was immeasurably better. On the same basis, bed and travelling rugs were from 20 to 25 per cent, cheaper. Flannels showed about the same reduction, but so few people now used these that they were small factors in the public cost. The prices of silks, especially from the East, were very low at tho original cost, and even with the extra duty and landing charges added were considerably lower than a year ago. Cotton goods showed a remarkable decline. These were mostly imported from Britain free of duty, and in many cases the price was as much as 33 l-3rd per cent, lower than two years, ago. This cotton merchandise was well woven and wonderfully well dyed. British dyes to-day, he said, were equal to German dyes, before the War, and had proved absolutely dependable. "If it was possible to reduce landing charges, duties, and shipping charges to the pre-war level, the publia of New j

Zealand would get a delightful surprise, he concluded. Footwear and Pnal. , The fall in the price of footwear duruig the year is estimated at 15 per cent. A feature of this business haa been the increased sale of New Zealand made bcots and shoes, which are now better in quality and cheaper in price. Finally, there has been an all-round reduction this year in the price of fuel Wood has been reduced from 2s Cd a oag to from Is Sd to 2s a bag, while coal costs from 6d to 1, * bag lis. than ut did * yew «g<y - T