COST OF LIVING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16983, 20 April 1917, Page 2

COST OF LIVING

WAR INCREASES. RETAIL PRICES STILL GOING UP. So far as the three food groups—groceries, dairy produce, and moat —are concerned, the war increases in the cost of living aro clearly shown by the following tables from the March issue of tho Labour Journal. The first tajblo gives the percentages for tho four ehicf cities in the retail prices for groceries ruling for Febriuiry, 1915, 1916, and 1917, over tho prices ruling on July 31, 1914. The second table gives similar information in regard to dairy produce, and the third in regard to meat: — GROCERIES. Feb., Feb., Feb., 1915. 1916. 1917. Auckland W-28 13.1S 22.93 Wellington 19.75 21.00 31.56 Christchurch 15.87 15.77 21.93 Dunedin 22.9S 19.23 29. SS Dominion weighted average 13.20 17.52 25.56 DAIRY PRODUCE. Auckland 8.53 20.93 32.14 Wellington *-1.04 1.63 16.77 Christ-church 3.47 13.90 27.54 Dnuedin i L 77 9.02 20.28 Dominion weighted average 4.26 12.02 23.65 c Decrease. MEAT. Auckland 1.2" 10.25 19.79 Wellington 7.U8 15.69 21.93 Christ-church 10.37 19.51 29.03 Dunedin 12.03 20.74 28.69 Dominion weighted average 7.82 17.05 27.35 For the three food groups combined the percentage increases are as under: — Auckland 9.08 15.69 23.67 Wellington 9.60 14.31 24.56 Chri(;tchi:rch 11.63 16.78 25.93 Dunedin 14.20 17.37 27.26 Don inion ■weighted average 12.62 16.17 24.73