MORE THAN DOUBLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26242, 28 August 1946, Page 6

MORE THAN DOUBLE

COMPARISON OF PRICES RECKLESS SPENDING ALLEGED (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Aug. 27. A comparison of prices ruling after the First World War and to-day was made by Mr H. T. Morton (Oppn.. Waitemata) during the financial .debate in the House of Representatives to Mr S Morton said that in 1920 building cost 17s a square foot, the average house of 1275 square feet costing £1075. The same house to-day, with tiled roof instead of one of corrugated iron, cost £2454 to build, or 38s 6d a square foot. That was more than double the price in 1920. . , . . A three-piece moquette upholstered suite cost £39 10s in 1920, ahd to-day its price was £54, said Mr Morton. Tea was 2s 5d a lb in 1920, and to-day it was 4s a lb. The 2oz tin of tobacco had increased from Is 3d to 3s 2Jd. A butter churn cost 12s 6d in 1920. To-day it cost £2 18s 6d. A range cost £l3 6s in 1920. To-day it cost £2B 17s 6d. Mr Morton said that to reduce expenditure he would start with some of the foreign expenditure. The vote for the legation in Moscow was £14,000 in 1945, and now the House was asked to sign a cheque for £48,000 for the current year. The total expenditure for our representation overseas this year was £431,000. The present Prime Minister was the most extravagant, politically profligate, and financially reckless occupant of that office New Zealand had ever had. When the Prime Minister’s Department was established in 1926 it had a staff of three persons and the vote for the department was £2BOO. To-day it had a staff of 159 persons, and the House was asked to foot a bill of £146,729.