COST OF LIVING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17336, 6 December 1919, Page 13

COST OF LIVING.

STATISTICIAN'S FIGURES. CLOTHING NOT INCLUDED. COMMENT BY JUDGE STRINGER. [ST TEiEGBAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CHRISTCHU.RCH. Friday. A discussion took place at the Arbitration Court yesterday on the cost of living figures as set out by the Government statistician. "It is notorious," said *Mr. Justice Stringer, " that the figures compiled do not take into consideration the cost of clothing. That is the reason why the Court obtained special figures with reference to clothing, and these figures showed that there had been a very large increase indeed in clothing lines." • Mr. R. D. Martin, when speaking on behalf of the grocers' assistants, pointed out that so far as house rents went the Government statistician estimated that a five-roomed house could bo rented at 15s per week. As a matter of fact, the rent in Christchurch was nearer 22s 6d to 25s for a five-roomed house. Still another factor which he drew intention to was the poorer quality of food and of most articles that could be bought now. This, in effect, made their price really higher than was calculated by the Government statistician. Mr. W. Scott, a member of the Court, agreed with this view as regards clothing, but it was considered that so far as food was concerned th§ quality still remained good, though, oPcourse, it had gone up in price.