Moscow Living Standards

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31142, 19 August 1966, Page 1

Moscow Living Standards

“The standard of living in Moscow, in many ways, is higher than we are led to suppose and there is no doubt that it is rising rapidly”, said Dr. R. A. M. Gregson, reader in psychology at the University of Canterbury, who has just returned from an international psychology congress there.

Asked to be specific, Dr. Gregson listed these signs:— The high rate of building reconstruction. Increased availability of consumer goods. The amount of economic ex-

change and trade with other countries, chiefly in the Eastern European bloc. The style and range of clothing in all groups. Dr. Gregson said quality of clothing varied but so did prices. A toddler’s frock, for instance, could be bought for the equivalent of 10s to £2 10s.

Some foodstuffs were markedly cheaper than in New Zealand. Bread was one. Public transport was •‘ridiculously cheap. very clean, and of very high frequency.” Dr. Gregson said a 4d ticket would take you anywhere in the central Moscow system which could mean a journey up to 15 miles.

Restaurants had become more common and their prices and standards were comparable to other European capitals. “An interesting facet of the Soviet Union is the range of salaries between top and bottom,” said Dr. Gregson. “A university professor, for instance, earns eight times the salary of a taxi-driver. That would be unlikely or impossible in Australia or New Zealand.” While others had watched Russia’s gains in education, Russia was watching others. This was notable in the universities which students entered a year earlier than in New Zealand and took a fiveyear course for a diploma. Studies were rather more formal and courses less flexible in structure but this was changing rapidly since Russia realised that in this respect it was lagging.