HOUSEHOLD REQUIREMENTS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 6 March 1925, Page 9

HOUSEHOLD REQUIREMENTS.

FOOD SUPPLIES

INCREASES AND DECREASES REATEAYED.

The subject of the ordinary everyday commodities of life, those things without which no housewife can do, and in which any fluctuations affect the domestic purse at once, is one" that concerns everyone in the whole coinmunity. It is therefore valuable to every household to know what increases have been scheduled, what may be.forecasted, and if possible where an easing in cost or a decrease may be expected. Inquiries made by a Star reporter: from local business men reveal the fact that in quite a number of instances an increase has taken place, and this unfortunately seems to be the general, trend.

Turning to one of the most used articles in the grocer’s shop, tea, a leading business man said that the market was firming very much and all the time. This lie attributed to Three great factors —the conversion of America into a black tea-drinking community from being a’ nation of coffee (drinkers, the re-entry of Russia into the consuming world, and the fact that the tea crops last year had not- been successful.

Then the price of candles, another much-used commodity, the output of which was tremendous, had been advanced, and this was attributed largely to an increase in the price of fats. Soap, household as well as other brands, seemed likely to increase.

Again flour, retailed by the grocer in large quantities and used in great amounts by the bakers, had seen a large increase in price, and it was stated by one leading baker that the price was higher now than at any time during the war. The price charged for bread, at the advance, did not. really cover all the increase in, cost of materials of all kinds and- in wages generally. But sugar had shown a steady and unprecedented fall week by week, until now it was cheaper probably than in any part of the world. Curiously, however, the price of (New. Zealand jams and marmalade, in which sugar was a chief constituent, showed a steady and :o n s icier a hie a d van ce.

Dealing with fruit, a leading importer and wholesale mart proprietor, gave a very favourable review of the condition at present. He said that early in the season stone fruits were scarce and not in good condition. This, however, had been altered, and now excellent fruit was coming in from all nroducing parts of the Dominion. The latest was a lot of very fine especially plums, from Otago. Peaches, too, were of excellent quality, and had been cleared altogether at very satisfactory prices.