COST OF LIVING.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 108, 8 May 1909, Page 9

COST OF LIVING.

STATE OF AFFAIRS IN AUCKLAND. VARIOUS OPINIONS. [Bx Telegbaph. — Sfeoiai. to The Post.] AUCKLAND, This Day. During an interview with the Hon. A. W. Hogg last Monday, a member of a deputation stated that the working man is no better off to-day than he was six years ago. "We gain a little increase in the matter of wages," said the worker in question, "but the cost of living assuredly goes up a little higher." An endeavour has been made by a Star reporter to ascertain where the chief cause For complaint existed, but, according to the information gathered from the most reliable business men in tfae city, there is no substantial evidence forthcoming that the cost of living in Auckland is any greater to-day than it was six years ago. A grocer, when asked was there any increase in the price of articles regarded as necessaries of life, replied most emphatically : "There is no increase, but rather a decrease, in the cost of articles of diet compared with the scale of prices existing six years ago. In fact," he concluded, "there is scarcely an article snowing an increase, and 1 have no hesitation m saying that the average price of groceries to-day is lower than the average price prevailing six years ago." THE QUESTION OF RENTS. "There has been no rise in rents during the last five years, 1 generally speaking," is the opinion of a land agent. "Much, of course, depends upon the position of the house. Working men naturally desire to " obtain tenements v/ithin the penny section area, but the land is too valuable for small tenements and is required for warehouses, factor- , ies, and workshops. Outside the penny | section, however, lents have scarcely altered within the last five years. Plenty of four-roomed hout>«3, with kitchens attached, located within the twopenny section, are letting at from 8s to 10s, while five-roomed houses let at 12s, and six-roomed houses at from 12s to 165." This, it may be remarked, is understating the rents somewhat, a more correct scale for six-roomed houses in desirable localities being from 14s to 20s. MEAT. "At the present time meat is lower in price than it has been for the last eighteen months," declared a master butcher. "This may be ascribed to competition amongst cash businesses and to the price of stock being a shade easier." Asked which quality of meat met with the best demand, the butcher in question rather ruefully replied, "There's practically only one quality, unfortunately. We can't sell the cheaper dualities. Good joints can be purchased from 2^d to 3d per lb, but customers won't look at them, even where they are working men on a comparatively small waiju. They will have none but the very best, such as sirloin, legs of mutton, and rump steak. Why, at the present time, we have to kill bullocks 311 st for the sirloins." THE PRICE OF BKEAD. "What about the price of bread?" was the question next put to a baker. "Admittedly, we have had to put up the price of bread to 4d for the 21b loaf," was the reply, "but it is not the first time that W3 have been compelled to do this, by any means. We are ruled by the world's markets, and when an increase in the price of flour comes on the top of increased cost of production, due to less hoursand higher wages, then we have no option but to put up the price of bread. I'm absolutely certain that the bakers of Auckland have been barely paying their way for the last two years, and I would personally welcome the establishment of a cooperative bakery here, as suggested by the Hon. A. W. Hogg." ON THE OTHER HAND. On the other hand, the restaurant proprietor aud lodginghouse-keeper complain that the cost of living is greater. Asked to define^ in what particular direction the increase is noticeable, one leading Queen-street dining-room proprietor said that the position was a really serious one. Groceries, he admitted, were possibly cheaper, but bread, meat, fish, rent, and the cost of labour had gone up considerably.