COST OF LIVING FIGURES

Taranaki Daily News, 13 November 1930, Page 3

COST OF LIVING FIGURES

DECREASE IN AUSTRALIA. LAST QUARTER’S FIGURES. Substantial reductions in the cost of living throughout Australia are indicated by retail price index numbers for the past three months, prepared by the Commonwealth Statistician, Air. C. H. Wiekins. The average reduction since the previous quarter in the six States is equivalent to 3s a week. / The figures, which are based on the retail prices of food and groceries, and the cost of housing in 30 towns in the Commonwealth, including the six capitals, are those used by the Commonwealth Arbitration Court in adjusting its awards. The alterations in the index numbers indicate decreases in the six capital cities for the quarter as follows: — Sydney, 3s a week; Alelbourne, 3s; Brisbane, 3s; Adelaide, 4s; Perth, 3s; Hobart, 2s. In other centres in New South Wales the decrease is as follows: — Newcastle, 2s a week; Broken Hill, 4s; Goulburn, 3s; Bathurst, 2s. A comparison of the figures for the quarter ended September 30, 1930, with those for the quarter ended December, 1929, shows that the decreases in the capital cities in nine months have been:—Sydney, 7s a week; Melbourne, ’s; Brisbane, l-0s; Adelaide, 9s; Perth, is; Hobart, 4& '