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Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 107, 6 May 1916, Page 6

The British Board of Trade figures show that there has again in February been a steady increase in the price of food, retail prices going forward by another 1 per cent (writes The Post's London correspondent). Mutton advanced 3 per cent., flour and bread I_\ (as compared with 6 per cent, in January), granulated sugar 7£, margerine 4, and cheese 3 per cent. During the year the prices of meat, bacon, and tea have ad'vanced 25 per cent, milk, butter, cheese, and eggs 15 to 20 per cent.; bread 14 per cent., and flour 11 per cent. Taking the country as a whole, and making allowance for the relative importance of the several items in the household expenditure, retail prices of food have advanced 48 per cent, since the war broke out. Flour is 62 per cent, higher, tea 50 par cent., British meat 40 per, cent., and foreign meat 60 per cent. Despite this the working classes are probably better off than they have ever been, owing to the greatly increased wages they are enjoying. It is the middle classes ,on fixed incomes who are feeling the pinch, which touches them both in raised prices and increased income tax.

"This is the most extraordinary case I have ever come across in my experience," stated Mr W A. Barton, S.M., at the Police Court at Gisborne, when an application was made for the cancellation of an order which was made against the defendant, by consent, in the affiliation case of Elizabeth Isabel Smeath v. John Gosnett. Mr. -F. W. Nolan, who made the- application, said that according to his instructions it was impossible that defendant could have been the father of the child. This was quite clear from what he had since learned from defendant and complainant's mother. His Worship made the comment, given above and said it was a particularly peculiar case,, seeing that defendant had admitted the allegation, and had consented to an order declaring him the, putative father. The application was granted and an application for sureties was withdrawn. To-morrow afternoon the Central Mission Band wilL play a programme of ,music in the Hospital grounds. A meeting of tho Accountant Students' Society will be held on Wednesday evening. The Miramar Brass Band will play a programme of music at Karaka Bay tomorrow afternoon. Anniversary services will be held at the Terrace Congregational Church to-mor-row. The Rev. J. Reed Glasson will preach in the morning, and the Rev W. A. Evans will preach in the evening. . On Tuesday evening tea and nublic meetings will be held.