The Cost of Living

Waikato Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1742, 20 April 1916, Page 5

The Cost of Living

THE POSITION IE ENGLAND,

Lout New Zealanders should think they arc hardly done by in regard to the Cost' of Living, it may be stated in support of the contention that the position in this country is better than that prevailing elsewhere, that in England the purchasing value of the sovereign has declined to 16/8. “Household expenses have (according to the ‘Weekly Despatch,’ of a recent date) increased 60 per cent, all round, food is 40 per cent, dearer, rent 2 per cent, more, fuel and light 25 per cent, higher, clothing--30 per cent, more, and a miscellaneous number of things ranging fr m washing

to window cleaning, 15 per cent, costlier. Bacon has reached the price of a dainty. It is 1/6 per lb., and yet it was not so long ago that the most appetising rasher cost us no more than a Is per lb_ 'l’he penny bloater, ‘the poor man’s salmon,’ is priced at 3d. and for kippers you must pay (id a pair, or three times as much as formerly. The sixpenny haddock is 1/. Flour that used to be 71bs for a shilling is now 1/8, and the 31d egg, with no guarantee as to its freshness, makes ns look back with envy on the day when wo thought eggs at 8 for Is. were surpassingly dear. We pay 4d a lb. more for our butter, and our milk is 5d instead of 4d a quart.and irregularly 'delivered in the bargain. The succulent onion is 2M a lb, instead of 21bs for 11 cl, and apple pic is scarcer because cooking apples are three times tiro usual price. We only get game if money is no object, for the poulterer has doubled his prices. The War has made the penny packet of salt 2d and given ns only half the normal quantity of soda for one penny. Wo are glad to get soda even at that price for many shops cannot replenish tlu.ir stocks.