THE SHRINKING SOVEREIGN

Otago Witness, Issue 3245, 24 May 1916, Page 3

THE SHRINKING SOVEREIGN

WAR INCREASES UP TO DATE. The monthly abstract of statistics for April contains some interesting tables showing! the course of retail prices up to date, tho percentage war increases in prices, and tha present purchasing power of money as corn-1 pared with its purchasing power in pre-war: times. * ! The following tables give, for tho four: chief centres, the percentage of increase' in the retail prices of food ruling on March 15, 1916, over the retail prices ruJintr oa July 31, 1914:

In the following are shown also tho percentage of increases in retail prices for tha three food groups combined ruling for th& months of February and March, 1910, and) for March. 1915, over the prices ruling oii July 31st, 1914:

While tho _ subjoined table shows tha amounts required to purchase in each of tha four chief centres during tho March quarter of 1915 and the March quarter of tho present year what would have cost 20b in tho average of the four centres in 1909-13:—*

\Tt is very clear that tho shrinking sovereign is still shrinking, and it would seem to be only too probable that as the war goes on its i rate of shrinkage will increase.

Gro. Dairy Three Food , ceries. produce. Meat, Groups, Auckland , 15.58 24.60 10.25 15.41 Wellington Christcnurch 19.94 13.16 15.60 16.71 13.29 14.26 20.S3 16.21 Dunedin 19.13 13.30 19.89 18.04

March, Feb.. March 1915. 1916. 1916. Auckland ... 10.37 15.69 15.41 t Wellington ... 10.34 14.31 16.71 - Christchureh ... 10.59 16.78 16.21 Dunedin ... 13.24 17.37 18.04

March March quarter, quart er, 1915. 1916. Auckland ... 23/7? 25/02 Wellington ... 23/73 24/9 Christchurch ... 23/22 24/75 25/5J Dimedin ... 23/lOi