PRICE INDEX FOR MAY

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27369, 7 June 1954, Page 6

PRICE INDEX FOR MAY

RISE OF 34 POINTS SINCE JANUARY

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 5. Between January and May the consumers’ price index rose 34 points. This is shown in the figures for May issued by the Census and Statistics Department The all-towns index numbers for the five months this year are as follows (the basic figure, for the first quarter of 1949, is 1000):

The rise in the fruits, vegetables; and eggs sub-group for May is attributable to the increased prices for eggs. The fruit and vegetable? subgroup showed a decrease. The fuel and lighting group rose from 1478 points in April to 1481 in May. Most of the individual towns again showed no increase, but dearer coal arid firewood in (Masterton- and increased charges for gas and coke in Greymouth contributed largely to the result shown. Index numbers for the all-foods group for the four chief centres for April and May last year and also April and May this year are:—

The totals for the six provincial towns —Hamilton, Napier, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Nelson, and Invercargill—for the same periods, are:—l47s, 1498, 1597, 1608. The total for 11 other towns—Whangarei, Tauranga, Gisborne, Wanganui, Masterton, Blenheim, Greymoutn, Ashburton, Timaru and Oamaru—are: 1486, 1507, 1610, 1619. The totals of the 21 towns combined are: 1465, 1489, 1597, 1601.

- ■ -CJ ' c . Is 4s* g.agg •8 ; 1 1 i J. January .. 1850 AmST 1449 1567 February ... 1854 1430 1457 1546 March .. 1856 1401 1470 1547 April .. 1864 1560 1494 1597 May .. 1870 1565 . 1497 1601

Last Year. This Year. Auckland .. .1471 1498 1599 1591 Wellington .. 1448 1477 1589 1604 Christchurch 1452 1469 1598 1596 Dunedin .. 1444 1456 1581 1590 Total .. 1458 1482 1594 1595