COST OF LIVING.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20271, 13 August 1937, Page 3

COST OF LIVING.

PRICE INDEX MOVEMENTS. DECLINES IN JUNE. The retail-prices index (base 192630) for the three food groups has fallen G points (from 951 in May to 945 in June), slates tlie Abstract of statistics, this movement being due principally to Hie influence of lower prices for eggs, which served to reduce the index for the dairy-produce group 20 points (from 951 to 931). The index for the groceries group fell 5 points, while that for meat fell 3 points. When the June Indexes for food and for fuel and light are combined with tlie February index for rent and Hie May indexes for the remaining groups, an “all-groups" index of 917 is obtained, a decrease of 2 points as compared with that for the previous month, or 4G.0 per cent, above the 1914 level. Tlie wholesale-prices index (base: 1909-13 equals 1000) for all groups has risen 12 points (from 1502 to 1514) during the month of June, the movement being fairly evenly distributed between the groups for locally produced and for imported commodities. the respective Increases being 14 points and 1 1 points. Tlie items principally responsible are wheat and potatoes in the former group and textiles and metals in (lie latter. The export-prices Index (base: 1909-13 equals lOOO' shows a decrease of 9 points during June from I V 6.3 to I ir» 1V iho groups exhibiting Hie greatest fluctuations being as follows: Decronses- Timber. 274 : wool. 99: agricultural produce. 7’.. Increase Hairy produce. 43.