TASTY—BUT DEAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17170, 13 October 1923, Page 1

TASTY—BUT DEAR.

LAMB AND GREEN PEAS. SOME COSTLY VICTUALS. Roast spring lamb served with green peas and new potatoes makes one of the most appetising of dishes, but at the present time one would need to liave a very large income to afford such luxuries. A family of four or five person® who wanted to celebrate a special occasion by a meal comprised of the choicest lamb, green peas and new potatoes would find the cost for the meat and vegetables alone something like thirty shillings. It i s possible to get poorer quality at cheaper prices, but those who insist on the highest quality must be prepared to pay lieavilv for it. A choice leg of lamb of about 61b costs to-day approximately 7s, or at the rate of Is 2d a lb, though extra special quality can be bought at dearer rates if one is inclined to be particular. Locally grown green peas which have just come on to the market are being retailed at 5s 6d a lb. which is equivalent to 38s 6d a peck.

Later in the season the price is about Is a peck, but just now peas are lux-

uries of the first water, and are beyond the purchasing power of about 99 per cent of the population. The it rice of new potatoes varies according to quality. The liighest are retailing at Is 6d a lb, but cheaper grades can be bought at the rate of 31bs a shilling, which, after all is only twice as dear as old potatoes just now.

Other delicacies that have recently made their appearance in fruiterers’ windows ,ar.d which attract the adrniring glances of passers-by, are locally grown tomatoes at from 4s 6d to 5s 6d a lb, and locally grown cucumbers at Is 6d a lb. Later on tomatoes will be plentiful at a penny or twopence a lb. and cucumbers at about threepence. Cauliflowers have recentlv come within the category of victuals for the wealthy only. To-day, if one wanted to buy a good cauliflower the furiterer would probably ask half a crown.

Christchurch is also threatened with the prospect of having to pay threepence each for bananas next week. At the wholesale fruit market yesterday case® sold at up to 31s 6d and if the fruiterers are to show any sort of profit on bananas they will ha.ve to sell the best varieties at threepence each. Tt has already become fairly general for fruiterers to ask each for large oranges and judging by the latest wholesale rates, it would not be surprising if the top retail price next week is ninepence instead of eightpence.

For the working man who desires to purchase some fruit with his weekly earnings, there is at least one ray of sunshine in the fruit and vegetable re port. Apple® are becoming cheaper instead of dearer, and for thi s time of the year they may be said to be unusually cheap. Fourpence per pound is quite a usual price to he charged for eating apples, and cooking apples can still be purchased a.t 51b a shilling.

Therefore while luxuries such as green peas, new potatoes, cauliflowers and cucumbers are beyond the reach of the multitude, and oranges and bananas are three or four times as dear as they were before the war, the person of moderate means is left with the apple to fall back on—and as someone has said. “ An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”