THE COST OF LIVING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 163, 3 April 1908, Page 4

THE COST OF LIVING.

, Sir,—ln your 'columns this morning I read | a remarkable statement by " Economy " to the effect that ho knows of four adults who lived at tlio rate of iis. 9d. each per week for twelve months. Of course, I presume, the payment of ront was out of the question. How the'so four managed to. exist ;on tha' amount mentioned, ' considering tlio high prioo of tlio necessaries of life, is astound- 1 ing.' Did they wear- clothes? But surelyclothing rimst b,s. excluded in' this calculation: Perhaps their living was like the proverbial Chinamen's -" rice eternally "; but it is stated that tlio chief food'taken was fruit. In view of the cost of : this in, Wellington, I am in a dubious state of- miiid, unless the persons concerned wero fruiterers and-- lived on a diet of bananas and cold water. Tlio' ease seems .to be.so truly economical that I think, in tlio; interests , of humanity, -" Economy" should supply a liill-of-fare dot-ailing tho daily course of food partaken of by thoso concerned.—l am, etc., April 1. ' - ' APPETITE. ;

Sir,—Your, correspondent, ".Economy," 1 is by way of posing as a' public benefactor : i.f h(! will only trot out his formula for keeping the breath in tho bodies.,of four..adults.,on 3s. ,9d. ,per-w'eek.each. (Is this quotation, for Chinese,- though, or other aliens,' who can liyti oil' rice and tho .smell. of."an oiled, rag? He to 2s. "6dV worth of meat and. plenty of fruit. Can anyone buy inWellington plenty' of 1 fruit—and vegetables—for four adults.-for .loss than 10s., weekly? I doubt it. Sir, all'the practical; housekeepers of'our city will recogniso' tho following as' much more likely figures -for .'.the keep . of fouradult persons for',oho Week: — LOWEST POSSIBLE ESTIMATE....... ■ , £s. d. Meat ... ... <■ .V.' ■ 0 4 0 Groceries (not including soap, , etc., to', clean tho liouso) ..'. 0 5 "0 Milk . ... .... , / •„ 0.2 .'4'" ■ Bread ... .. , . ... 0, 20J Fruit and vegetables!-.-;' . v ... 0 10 .0 ■ Total " ...... ' ... £1 34J Or. about ss.' ! lOcl. each. . ; . Tho cost of "Dominica's" ver.y economical dinners—seven for,". 2s. lid.—subtracted' from '" Economy's ". - total Would leave .lOdl'with which to purchase tho-other "fourteen : meals for tho'week.: Perhaps "JJconomy.'s,"' letter was -intended 11s a Ist of .' April : joko, after all? If wo take".it that 'way, it .won't be-the first time we women have' been mado fopls of, aiid I' don't, suppose it will bo the laS't.Hopiiig you will: squeeze this in somowliero,—l am, ete., ; ECONOMICA. .