COST OF LIVING IN U.S.

Northern Advocate, 21 March 1931, Page 3

COST OF LIVING IN U.S.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—As L referred only to the U.fS.A. which is only a portion of America, and your correspondent mentions Canada, I must go on speaking of things ns I found them in the six largo cities of U.B.A. It is true that if only one could try hard enough, one; c(>uld get accustomed to almost anything, but to get used to the diet of the people of some other lands would take some time. As I had been accustomed to good fresh moat, at least once a day, and fresh green vegetables, with good butter or tea, I found during my visit to these cities that I should have to cut those out as expensive luxuries. The price of meat ranged from 45 cents, enough for one person, while a meal of moat rose to 95 cents. Pork wont to 45 cents, beef 65, mutton and lamb 85 and 95. Vegetables and a bit of butter as big as a half a crown would make the total amount 7/6. Tea was only to bo obtained at certain places at a price, which made it a luxury. A cup of coffee a day, the usual stimulant, did not suit mo. At the sight of so much sausage meat and canned goods I shrank, but others‘who knew of nothing else, ato these with keen relish. It was fearful to see people who had worked hard all day in the factories and elsewhere return in their thousands to their homes, do their house' work, attend to'their children, who had been left all day with strangers, and be glad to got to bed, tired our,

to got rest for the next day's ■work. This rest was more to their liking than the picture show’s ■which, some of them told us, they visited only once in six months. Five children to do for wms the average, while woollen goods for the winter clothing’were at a high price. Social services were almost unknowm, T never got used to ■seeing the great poyerty as somedo. So Old England does at least feed her poor. It is a noted fact that in New Zealand the working women and the- w-orkless are better looked after than the U.S.A. working women. I am, etc., B. KING.