from Stan Mills
The Railway Review of January 7th contained the following extremely interesting ond useful item: "How has the cost of living gone during the last four years? In 1962 the index of retail prices was set at 100. The index stood at 113.6 on November 16, 1965, a rise of 13.6% in four yesrs. But that figure does not tell the full storys It merely reflects the general rise in prices.s A closer exomination will show that many people can be very much worse off, depending how they spend their money, and on what, Housing, for instance. The rise in the cost of housing has been 22.8% "What about food? Generally, food prices have risen above the 1962 base of 100 by 12.2 or less than the average rise in prices. Again it depends what kind of food you buy. Meat and bacon have gone up by 17 whereas vegetables, fresh, dried ond canned hve only risen by 1, and fruit, fresh, dried and canned has actually fallen by 9 points, Fish costs 14 points more and milk, cheese ‘nd eggs 19 points more. Bread, flour, cereals, biscuits and enkes have risen by 13, sbout the-average, So if you have been buying more of the higher-priced foods = as reflected in the increase in index points - your food cost of living will have gone up more than the avernges "Fuel and light prices have risen more than the -verage + coal and coke by 20 points .nd other fuel ond light by 19 points. The price of durable household goods have risen only by 5e4 points and radios.and televisians . have actually dropped in price by two points. Generally, clothing and footwear have risen in price by 7e7 points but ments outer clothing has gone up by 11 points. Children's clothing went up by six points in the four yearse "Biggest increase in prices after housing = which wos next to the highest was in fares = 22 points highers Top increase in prices was in books, newspspers and periodicals, But wht do they matter compared with the very serious increase in rents snd other costs of housing?" A careful study of these figures reveals thet the housewife's cost of shopping (as she knows very well!) has been very much higher than the gener.1 increase would indicates