COST OF LIVING

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XVII, Issue 5880, 7 April 1920, Page 2

COST OF LIVING

WAR INCREASES IN FOOD AND

RENTS. STATISTICIAN’S FIGURES. Tine “cost of living” index number for the three food groups for the month of February (Dominion weighted average) is 1708, ah increase of 20 pohits as compared with the December number, and ajx increase of 59.73 per cent, on tho number for July, 1914, says the Government statistician in the monthly abstract tor March. The data from which the rent index number is cajlculated qro collected only half-yearly, and if the last ascertained rent ilndcx number (August, 1919) is combined in its proper proporti'oh with tho index number for the three food groups it is found that the war increase in food and rants since July, 1914, is 42.40 per cent. It is not practicable at present to ca.lculcate index numbers to show the increase in retail prices over the whole of tho domestic expenditure of an average household; but the three food groups and rent, in regard to which the above Increase of approximately 42 per cent, has taken place cover the most important and necessary items in the average domestic expenditure, and form mote than half of the total.