RISING PRICES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22412, 7 May 1936, Page 14

RISING PRICES

FOODSTUFFS ADVANCE MANY DAILY NECESSITIES BUTTER, EGGS AND MEAT The pronounced riso in the cost of living recently is effectively shown by a comparison between present retail prices and those ruling three, two and even one year ago. Not all commodities have moved upward, but the large proportion which have include many necessities. Merchants consider that the movement will become general and they anticipate particularly sharp rises in some goods in the next few months. This tendency is illustrated by the foodstuffs that aro consumed daily at the breakfast, luncheon or dinner table. While the morning cereals remain practically at last year's prices dried fruits aro now Id to 2d a pound dearer than tlioy were this time last year. Bacon is up to 2d a lb. clearer and first grade eggs that were 2s 5d a dozen early in May, 1935, and 2s 3d in May, 1933, are now 2s 8d a dozen. Should duck eggs bo preferred they aro now 2s 6d a dozen, 7d a dozen dearer than last year. Dearer Cup of Tea Coffee is, if anything, cheaper than it was, but a cup of tea now costs more. Tea has risen by about 2d a lb. Milk has increased by id a quart and honey also has risen slightly. Bread bought for cash across the counter remains at 5d a 21b. loaf, first grade factory butter at Is 3d a lb. is up 3d and cheeso quoted at 8d a lb. last May is now lOd. Meat also has advanced. Retailed at lOd a lb. in May, 1933, and Is a lb. last year rump steak now costs Is Id a lb.] Othor cuts similarly have risen. Ox tongues aro 8d a lb., an advance of Id, but such items as sausages and tripe have not changed. Lamb hindquarters cost 8d a lb. in 1933, lid a. lb. a year ago and are now Is Id. Legs have advanced from ,9d a lb. in 1933 to Is 3d at the present time. Fish prices have not varied greatly. Dinner dessert from tinned fruits is considerably more expensive to provide than it was a year ago, tins having advanced by Id and more each. There is promise of an extreme shortage of such fruits and still higher prices are anticipated. On the other hand, dried vine fruits for cakes, such as sultanas and currants, have shown no alteration in price, although cheaper qualities are not available. Other Articles Advancing Jams remain at former levels, but biscuits have increased slightly. Tinned cream also has been advanced. Two important items of the table, however, show little variation over the past few years, these being fresh fruit and vegetables. This marked upward tendency in prices is not confined to foodstuffs alone. The tin and enamel ware in which the foods are prepared, the aluminium utensils in which they aro cooked, and the crockery in which they are served all are advancing in price, and, according to latest advices from England, sharp rises in the cost of these articles may be expected in about six weeks' time. And the soap used for cleansing the utensils and for toilet purposes has ■ already risen considerably, mainly on account of the high price of tallow.