12 AUGUST 1916, Page 3

Mr. Harcourt, on behalf of the Board of Trade, supplied

an instructive answer on the increased cost of living to Mr. Barnes on Monday. The statement concludes with the following sum- mary :--

" Assuming no change in the standard of living, the average increase in the cost of living since July, 1914, in the large towns would have been approximately 25 per cent. at July, 1915, nearly 30 per cent. at Septem- ber, 35 per cent. at December, 40 per cent. at March, 1916, and between 40 and 50 per cent. at June, 1916. As changes of prices invariably lead to some shifting of consumption from one article to another, it must not be inferred that the budget of the average workman's household has necessarily increased in the above proportions."