LIVING COSTS COMPARED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23378, 21 June 1939, Page 17

LIVING COSTS COMPARED

Sir, —Having read a number of lettors in your column re the cost of living in Nov Zealand and Kngland, 1 notice that in all cases when houses are referred to the writers fail to stress an important point, the fact that houses in England, with very few exceptions, are built of brick and not of wood, as L presume Elizabeth Macmi 11an refers to, for £BSO. To settle this question I will quote a few figures, which, if necessary, I can substantiate. In England, at the present time, it is possible to buy a ! house, four rooms, kitchenette, etc., ! with a good section of land, for £'.'i7s. ! or £IOO down and 15s 6d per week as rent, inclusive of water and other rates. A wooden building of the same dimensions costs between £IOO and £l5O. according to the locality, incidentally, wooden buildings are not |K>rmissible in towns. I might add that my father owns a house, built to his own plans, four rooms, kitchenette, etc., together with a large plot of land, costing £l5O, and he is one of many who have the same. "Now Then" was exaggerating when { lie said that the minimum wage in i England was equal to the maximum in j Xew Zealand, and. after careful com- | parison, 1 conclude that £2 in England will go as far as £4 10s in New Zealand when it applies to buying power, food, clothes, etc. With reference' to clothes, etc., a I suit of good quality and cut, suitable tor every man's taste, may be bought for 50s anywhere in England; boots can be bought for 10s, and shoes may be bought for as little as 7s Cd. and, although the model is not very elegant. the leather is of good quality. For the ladies, dresses of light material and suitable for outdoor wear may lie purchased for as little as Is lid in the liig stores, also hats of the latest styles r•).- ~„..-r,,.,l I." I e