HOUSEHOLD BILLS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 129, 4 June 1927, Page 11

HOUSEHOLD BILLS

DECREASE IN" FOOD GROUPS

The "Monthly Abstract of Statistics" issued by the Census ■ and Statistics Office states that the retail-price index (Dominion weighted average) for tl^e three food groups as at loth April was 1551 (on base: average prices in four chief centres during the.years 1909-13—1000), a decrease of 8 points since the previous month. This index number shows an increase of 45.0 per cent, over that for July, 1914. The decrease of; 12 points in the index number for the groceries group has been caused by small reductions in the charges for flour, potatoes, and for minor items. Again the rise in the price of eggs,.and in some cases of milk, has resulted in an increase of 39' points in the index number for the dairy-produce group. The index num;ber for the meat group shows a decided fall of .34- points, due to further general reductions in the price of the various classes of meat. , .

As compared with April, 1926, all index numbers show decreases: Groceries, 11 points, mainly due to the reduction in the charges for flour; dairy-produce, a 73----point decrease, owing to the heavy reduction in butter prices; meat, 116 points lower; due to a continued and marked drop in the prices of meat. The index number for the combined food groups was this month 60 points less than that' for April, J926. „.-'■..■

Expenditure . on. food . constitutes sbme; what, less than two-fifths of the expenditure of the average household.. In order to present a more complete picture of movements, in retail prices generally, statistics regarding the retail prices of clothing,' drapery, footwear, anil miscellaneous items of family expenditure are collected at quarterly intervals; and, when combined with the indexes for food, rent, and fuel and light, approximately 87 per cent, of the average household expenditure is represented. The February indexes for rent, clothing, and miscellaneous items have been combined with the March figures for food and fuel and light; the resultant all groups index being 61.0 per cent, above that for July, 1914. It now takes 32s ffidon the average to purchase what could be purchased for 20s in that month.