STILL RISING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16873, 9 December 1916, Page 12

STILL RISING

DOMINION LIVING COST. Month by month it is costing a little more to live in New Zealand. The average increase is not great, but it is certain, .and if the causes at present operating continue in force much longer the Government Statistician -will have to lengthen the barometers on which, in each issue of the Labour Journal, he illustrates how the prices of commodities are rising. Wellington is almost at the top of the rent barometer, 230 points ahead of the next highest town (Gisborne), and Whangarci, Waihi, Greymonth. Gore, Gisborne. Oamary, Palmerston North, and Invercargill are in the last ■ division as regards meat prices. Tho dominion index number for the September quarter shows an increase of 14 points over tho June quarter. Considerable increases are recorded in groceries and meat, but there is a considerable decrease in dairy produce, dne to tho reversion to summer prices for milk. Tho sovereign, which was worth on tho averago 20s in the bad years (1909-13), was worth on the average 15s 7id when applied to the purchase of food i" the September quarter of this year, as against 15s OJkl in June. To what cxtqnt tho various classes of food have contributed to the increase may bo roughly gauged by a reference to the average worth of the sovereign in each group, as follows ceries 16s 6d, dairy produce 15s 4d, meat 14s 9id. What it costs to purchase 20s worth of food (based oil tho averarre prices of the four centrcs in ISO 9-13) is given in the following statement for the June and September quarters:—Wellington: Juno 26s op<3, September 26s OJd; Auckland: 25s 9jd. 26s OJd; Ohristehurch: 24s sjd, 24s lljl-d; Duncdin: 24s 6d, 24s 9;d._ On the average of the four chief centres the assumed weekly household hudget of foodstuffs cost 24.31 per cent, more in September, 1916, tlmn.in Julv, 1914. as against 23.57 cent, in Ausrnst. AVnr increases in Wellington for October. 1916. are given as follow:—Groceries 24.20 per cent. (Sep23.81). dairy produce 13.P9 ner cent. (14.10). meat 18.72 per cent. (17.25); three , food groups, 19.53 per ccnt. (19.11).