DEARER FOOD

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 2, 3 July 1922, Page 2

DEARER FOOD

GOVERNMENT REPORTS RISES

SOME PRICE VARIATIONS.

The Government Statistician reporta that the index number for the three food groups as at 15th May is 1552, au increase of 12 point* as compared with, the preceding month's figure (1540), and an increase of 45.05 per cent, over July, 1914. There is a decrease at 7 pointo in groceries, due mainly to a still further fall in the price of potatoes. , In some cases a slight fall in the prices of rice and sago has also been recorded. The increase of 35 points' recorded in the dairy products group is caused by a rise in the prices of butter and milk in some towns and of eggs in most towns. The pike of eggs has risen very considerably in the past two months. The increase of 24 points in the index number for the meat group is caused by am increase in the prices of mutton and poik in several towns.

_ A graph ie supplied with the Statis- I tician's figures, showing the course of food retail prices since July, 1914. It -shows the steady increase since the war up to the peak in 1920. There was a drop in 1921, but, even so, tha . prices in May last were 45 per cent, above those ruling in July, 1914. South Africa, United States, Canada, and Australia are all cheaper in i-espect to food retail prices than New Zealand. The variation in prices of some foods and other necessaries aye most marked in the four cities on the Government Statistician's showing, ac for March last:— Milk, quart: Auckland, 6d; Wellington, 7d; Christchurch, 6d; Dunedin, sd, • Bread, 21b: 6£d ; 6£d, 6id; 6id. Cabbage, each: 7d; 4d; sd; 4d. ./Coal, i-ton: 18s 3d; 18s 9d; 21sj 17s 9d. ' Gas, 1000 ft: 8s 6d; 8s 9d; 8a 6d: 6s Bd. Electricity, lighting unit: 2d; ' 6d; ] 3J,d; s£d. ' Bacon roll, lb: Is 2d; Is 3id; Is 1U ; Is 2id. Flour, 251b: 6s 6ad; 6s 5Jd; 5s 9d; Ss 4Jd. Oatmeal, 71b: 2s 5d jla lOJd; Is lid; Is BJd. Potatoes, 141b: Is 4J,d; Is Hid; Is lid; Is 4id. ' ' Rice, lb : 3»d ; 4d; 3£d ; 3gd. Tea, lb: 2s 2*& ;2sld ;2n 2id; 2s 3±d. Soap, bar: ll^d ;Is 2£d; Is Oid; Is 3^d. Candles, lb: 11J3; Is Ofd ; ll£d ; 9^d. Rump steak, lb,: 103; 10^d; 10|d; lOd. ' • | Beef Ribs, lb: 4W; 5Jd; 64d:i6d. Mutton (leg), lb :7d ; 6£d; 7d ; 6id. Chops: 6gd; 6J,d; 7d ; 6d. Rents, 5 rooms: 19s 3d ; 20s OJd ; 48s | 3^d ; 15s lOd. I Rents, 6 rooms:'23s; 25s lO^d; 26s 5Jd; 21s 6Jd. Prices of meat have declined since the above figures were compiled. Eggs and butter hnvo varied from day to day. The latter has gone up to 2s per lb in Wellington, whereas it ranged from Is 2Jd per lb in Dunedin to Is 3jd in Auckland. during the period to which' the official figures relate. Cheese, which does not occupy so large a place in the New Zealand dietary scale as in. that of England; has declined to lOd, in'some cases 9d per lb, as t compared with Is to Is ljjd during March.