THE COST OF LIVING.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1930, Page 8

THE COST OF LIVING.

Making all allowance for the possibility of more than one deduction from the same set of figures, the information in regard to the cost of living recently published by the Government Statistician contains food for considerable thought. The statistics have been compiled from actual “household budgets” supplied by private familes 1 and are therefore more’ likely to appeal to the ordinary taxpayer than mere calculation's from the basis of charges made for various commodities throughout the Dominion. Details of expenditure were supplied by over 300 citizens and show that of the total about 70 per cent, was the cost of food, housing, fuel and light and clothing. As . regards ' food costs, which represented 29.52 per cent, of the total expenditure, meat was the most important individual item, accounting for 5.62 per cent., milk 3.57, butter 3.57, fresh vegetables and , fruit. 3.45 and bread 3.23 being the next in order of cost. Fuel and lighting accounted for 6.17, insurance 3.78, and drapery, clothing and boots and shoes for 12.61 per cent. Of these household items the relatively low position of bread in the average household budget is a little.gurprising, and it seems strange too that in a country where very little effort will give t a return for gardening it should be necessary to spend more upon vegetables and fruit than upon- bread. On the whole, however, the general average, of 70 per cent, of expenditure on what may be termed bodily needs is, not unusual. Turning to the other 30 per cent, of miscellaneous expenditure, the figures reveal an outlay of 8.58 on what may be termed recreation purposes. Of these fares—partly, no doubt, a business expenditure 2 —account for 3.46 per cent., which suggests that the New Zealander’s reputation for being fond of travel is justified, and sports and amusements 2.20, such items as tobacco, books and papers accounting for the balance. One interesting item is that household, cleaning supplies represented 1.09 of the total expenditure. It shows how the relief of household drudgery by mechanical aids iri progressing and. ,is a hopeful augury for the increased use of electricity for domestic purposes. Medical expenses' and provision . for superannuation absorbed 4.78, the latter item beimr 2.40 as compared with the 2.20 spent 1 on sports and pastimes. These figures show that the spirit of thrift and of preparation for comfort in older years is at least as much in evidence as the love of sport, though probably not so apparent on the surface. The dissection of these household budgets reveals that housing is tar more costly than was considered sound by older economists, and that the cost of food could bo reduced were more selfreliance shown by many householders. There is no glaring instance of apparent extravagance, though carelessness in regard to fires has made the annual cost of insurance fairly high. With nearly 9 per cent, of the expenditure devoted to recreative or luxury purposes it does not look as though the Dominion as a whole has felt the pinch of poverty very keenly. It shows also that there is a margin there in which economy can be practised without in any way reducing that '“standard of living’’ of which so much is said by the opponents of any reduction in costs even though the times are calling loudly for this.