COST OF LIVING.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2046, 4 September 1920, Page 7

COST OF LIVING.

FURTHER RISE FOR JULY. The "cost of living" index for tlio three food groups for the month of .July, Ms prepared by the Government Statistieiaiu, is 1791, an increase of 49 points as compared with the June number, and (an increase of 67.3S per cent, on the ; number for July, 1914. The large in- ] crease shown by the July index number ■is almost wholly due to'the rise iu the cost of sugar. _ The meat group also shows a conjsideraule increase, chiefly brought about iby rises in Christchureh and Duuedin. The dairy produce group, on the other• hand, shows a drop of 50 points, the fall shown in eggs being more than sufficient to neutralise completely an increase in the price of butter.' During the June quarter of 1920, the amount required to purchase, in each of the four centress, that amount of food which would cost 20/- on the average for the four chief centres during the period 1909-1913 was:—Auckland 34/tii, Wellington So/-. Christchurcli -34/4, Punedin 34/9J: average for four centres, 34/8 L The corresponding figures for the June quarter of 1919 were:—Auckland 30/7. Wellington 31/14, Christchurcli 128/10], Duuedin 30/3J; four centres .30/2*.