FIVE SHILLINGS MORE EACH WEEK

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 174, 20 April 1937, Page 8

FIVE SHILLINGS MORE EACH WEEK

The Family Grocery Bill

COST OF FOODSTUFFS IS STILL RISING

Substantial increases in prices for groceries in Wellington, amounting, it is estimated, to 5/- a week for the average family, are reviewed by E.C.R., who, in the following comparison, takes to begin with such staple foodstuffs as sugar, flour, bread, butter, and tea. The new duty of Id a lb on sugar plus an increase of £2 a ton lately, makes sugar 3Jd retail instead of 2d a lb, lie writes. "Because of the prohibition on imported flour, plus a guaranteed price to wheat growers, flour is Jd a lb more. Bread for the same reason, together with wage increases to bakers, is dearer.

The guaranteed price on top of the 25 per cent, exchange makes butter 1/3 J a lb retail instead of lOd a lb—average over last six months. Tea shows an alarming increase. The wholesale price has advanced by roughly 4d a lb on a “No. 3” standard. This, plus 25 per cent, exchange, plus 3d duty, plus Id sales tax, plus merchants’ 10 per cent, profit over all, has caused the wholesale price of tea to jump from lOd to 1/101 a lb. As the exchange and sales tax are on a percentage basis, every time tea goes up 4d a lb in Cavlon it is equal to old iu New Zealand. This applies to all overseas goods, of course. The threat of war has been responsible for soap prices increasing from 4d to Sd a small bar. Resin has increased from 2d to 4Jd a lb wholesale. The Spanish trouble has caused Sicily almonds to go from 1/4 to 2/6 a lb. Plain canary seed is practically unobtainable, the wholesale price going from 2Jd to 6d a lb. A shipment is due within a month and will be welcome. Within the last six months there has been a steady increase in nearly all grocery lines such as pearl barley from 18/- to 27/6 a cwt, cocoa (all kinds) up to 10 per cent., seeded raisins 1/- a dozen. Dates are up by Id lb. Because of higher wages all bottled goods such, as sauces, pickles, and methylated spirits have advanced in price from 15 pop cent, to 25 per cent. Because of the bad season and the sugar price increase jams are up by 2d a lb tin. For the same reason tinned tomatoes and sauce are scarce and dearer.

Icing and castor sugar and treacle are dearer by Ad a lb. The bad season has caused white clover honey (best quality in bulk) to go from 5d to SJd a lb. Sugar and flour increases, plus shorter hours, have caused biscuits to go up in price on three occasions. Oatmeal and loose rolled oats are dearer by Jd a lb. Jellies are dearer by 3/- a gross, and packets of soup by Jd and essences by Id a bottle. Baqop is much dearer than it was, whilst eggs at the moment are dearer and hard to get. Cheese is lOd alb retail against 6Jd a short time ago. This list comprises the bulk of the goods bought by the public, so that it can readily be seen that the cost of groceries has increased to some considerable extent—to the average family by at least 5/- per week.