NATIONAL FOOD INDEX

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28685, 8 September 1958, Page 15

NATIONAL FOOD INDEX

Increase Of Seven Points

The price of all food increased by seven points in the national consumers’ price index between July and August, according to the Department of Statistics. The meat and fish sub-index rose by 18 points, again through increases in all beef cuts and beef sausages. In the fruits, vegetables and eggs sub-group, egg prices failed to drop by as great an amount as in previous years, and non-seasonable fruits and vegetables, including bananas and oranges, contributed fractional increases to make a total increase of eight points. The third sub-index, other foods, increased by one point and the, all-food index consequently increased by seven points during the month, says the Government Statistician. In August of last year the national figure was 1063 (based on 1955 equals 1000) and last month the figure had risen to: 1073.

Greymouth was the cheapest town or city for food in New Zealand last month, while Auckland was the cheapest of the four main centres. Invercargill, where the index figure stood at 1089, paid more for food than any other of the 21 towns and cities listed.

In Auckland, the figure stood at 1068, at Wellington it was 1080 and at Christchurch 1072. In some other South Island towns the figures were: Nelson, 1069; Timaru, 1076; Invercargill, 1089; Blenheim, 1068, Greymouth, 1050; Ashburton, 1062 and Oamaru, 1063.