LOWER PRICE INDEX.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17776, 9 May 1921, Page 4

LOWER PRICE INDEX.

FURTHER FALL IN MARCH. LOWEST SINCE LAST JCLY, HIGHER "WORTH" OF MONEY. The index numbers of retail prices in New Zealand in March are published in the abstract of statistics. That for the three food groups is 1810. showing a de crease of 63 points compared with the preceding month's figures. It is 69.16 per cent, higher than that for July. 1914. The March index is the lowest since last July, the figure for which was 1791 There was a decrease of 13 points in th? Groceries group, mainly accounted for hy a further fall in the price of tinned fruit.-., while cream of tartar also manifests a universal reduction in price. The fall of 171 points in the meat group is due to a still further reduction in the price of all cuts. The " moving average'' index number for the six months ended March for food, rent, and fuel and light is 1660, an increase of 1 point on the average for the six months ended February, and of cJ. points on that for the six months ended September, 1920. The percentage increase for the last six months is 59.62, against 51.73 for the September period. Another table shows that the purchasing power of money has increased. In the March quarter the average worth of the pre-war pound in terms of the three food groups is given as lis s|u, against lis 3d in the December quarter, and 11 BJd in the September quarter.