COST OF LIVING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17978, 31 December 1921, Page 6

COST OF LIVING.

FAU IN NOVEMBER.

ALL GROUPS AFFECTED

AUCKLAND FIGURE LOW

! The Abstract of Statistics jiisl to hand contains the latest cost-of-li' -tig figures calculated to November IS. The index number for the three food groups (Dominion weighted- average) at that date was 1625, a decrease of 49 points for the month and an increase of 61.87 per centas compared with July, 1914. Groceries and dairy produuts each show a fall of 57 points, and meat a fall of 32. The fall in groceries is accounted for mainly by a considerable fall in sugar and svrup. This fall has been counteracted "to some extent by a rise in the price of potatoes duo to the fact that new potatoes are being sold iu most places to a greater extent than old potatoes. The index numbers relating to the various towns show costs in Auckland to be low, the increaso over July being 47.40. Gore is the lowest m New Zealand 41.49, then Napier 43.87, with Auckland next on the list. Wellington is 51.25, Christ church 54 62, and Dunedin 54.61. Hamilton is 52.97. Rotorua 58.41, and Whan-ga-rei the highest on the list 61,12. The latest available figures for the principal countries publishing statistics of retail price* of food ar e as shown in the following tabic;— Comparison between Increase July. 1914, per Coi nlry. and cent. South Africa .. ■ - Aug., 1921 : United States .. .. Sept., 1921 60 New Zealand .. .. Nov., 1921 63 Australia . . • • Sept., 1921 54 Canada Sept., 192 -9 India (Bombay) . . Oct., 1921 80 Holland (Amsterdam) Sept., 1921 M United Kingdom . . Nov., 1921 100 Sweden Sept.. 1921 128 Denmark .. •• July, 1921 136 Norway Aug.. 1921 197 France (Paris) . . Sept., 1921 229 Italy (Rome) . . ~ Sept., 1921 830 Belgium Aug., 19-31 327 Gsrma'ny . . . Sept., 1921 963 Finland . .. July. 1921 1178