COST OF LIVING.

Wanganui Herald, Volume L, Issue 14699, 2 September 1915, Page 8

COST OF LIVING.

J TO THE -KDTTOIt. Sir, —I too, think with your corro .spoiuion t, "Dough,” that it is high time some action was taken by the authorities to put an one! to the exploitation which is going on in. New Zealand. In referring to broad your correspondent, "Dough,” is only touching the fringe of the subject, in the June number of the Journal of, the Department of Labour, a mass of figures were published dealing with-the increase in, the cost, of .various articles over, the period 1890-IfMJ. These figures were quickly pounced upon b\ politicians and others, without reference to-the period covered, to prove that the cost-of living in.New Zealand had not risen to near the height it had hi other countries as a consequence’of the war. Speaking from, memory, I think the figures published by the daily press gave the increase in ■ N.Z. at 7.9' per cent .since tlie./declaration of war.

lii Ibe July mi.lnher of the Kamo'Journal. page 564, till author says:-—"So far in this report no-attempt lias boon maihto show how hutch tbo cost of living in N.Z. has increased since the. outbreak of war, nor was : any mention of the •percentage, of such, increase made in the last issue of this Journal.” This is a direct contradiction of the -statements published in the press, but we do not find the press publishing this statement and acknowledging the error into which it, the press, had fallen. In the August number of the same Journal tables are given showing the increases, in .what the. author calls the three food groups, which cover grain, dairy produce, ■ and meat, and the prices taken arelretail. The tables given show the increase,s in' these articles as compared ,with those ruling at the 31st July, 19.14, in , the 25. representative towns in New Zealand. Groceries show an increase of 15.83-per cent, at 31st May, 1915, 17.04 per June, 1915, .and' 18.01 per cent, at 15th July. 1915. Dairy produce, increase of 15.70 per cent., at 31st-May >. 13.72 at 30Ui June; 'and 1b,27 per cent, at 15th, July, 19x5.. Meat,, increase of 3i5.6 per cent, at 31st. May,2.93 lief cent at 30th June, and -2.84 per cent at 15th July, 1915, The small increase in meat is accounted for by a decrease in Auckland, Christchurch, Nelson, and Timaru. Taking the increase from 31st July, 1914, to 15th July, 1915, over the three food group, the increase oyer the 25 representative towns is given at simple arithmetic average ,13,46. per cent., and the weighted arithmetic average 12.15 per cent, : -The .increases given for -Wanganui are: Groceries 20:40 per cent,, dairy produce 24.00 per cent,, and meat 2.69 per cent.,, or an average over the three of 15.05 per ceiit. ’ The effect of this increase,on-the wages of a worker in Wanganui earning ,£2/10/- per week is to reduce his, wages to £2/2/3 iter week, and. it ought to be noted, that, (his increase,due to the war, or, to be more accurate, this increase for which the war is made the .excuse, "follows upon the top of an increase which nas been continuously piling, up in former years. DOII.T. you think, sir, that this is enough ,to contend with, without having to put up with short-weighted and--nduiterated food? -Prosecutions ■Sarec infrequent, and generally prove fiascoes. With regard to flat ry: produce —-It iS;.-,a: fact- that" all butter ..for export must lie graded, and must not hold more than . a certain.' percentage of moisture, but for local consumption there are no restrictions. On 'these- lines. Surely what holds good for export should apply to local consumption. Qne--could go on writing for a week on matters relative do the cost of living, but I,hesitate to take up any more of your space. Thanking you in anticipation,—l am, etc., - , , JAS. ROSS. August- 25th/1915.