A Forecast of Prosperity at Home this Year "A landslide in the cost of living is likely to take place during the first week of the New Year," says Mr. Felix J. Blakemore, President of the National Chamber of Trade, in the London "Daily News."
"Not only food goods, but the costs of many other commodities are announced for reduction at aw very early date."
"During the last fortnight a fall of no less than 72s, per cwt. has taken place in Danish butter, and it is very probable that Danish butter will be retiailled to the public at between Is 4d. and 1s. 6d. per Ib., as against the present price of is. 10d, while Colonial and Irish butters will be down to almost prewar price.
"American hog products will also be very considerably cheaper," continued Mr, Blakemore, "providing the strike among the employees in the American stock yards is settled ssu as to enable shipments to be dis patched regularly.
"American lard, 9d- per Ib. today, should be 7d. in the New Year. American draft bacon, 1s. 3d. per Ib. today, should be ts. in the New Year. American hams should be reduced to between 1s. 3d. and Is. 4d. per Ib.
"The recent fall in the price of wheat in America, will rapidly affect the price of the 4th. loaf. This week. the Walsall Board of Guardians accepted a tender for bread at 6ld. per 4Ib. loaf, and a. large institution in the North of England has been able to get a contract as low 6d. per 4lb.. Should wheat con-tinne to fall in price, the 6d. 4Ib. loaf for general consumption should he available at an early date.
"The forward prices for sugar," he continued, "are much lower to the extent of between Jd. and 3d. ner pound, but we must remember that there is a duty on granulated sugar of 2d. per pound which did not exist in prewar days, and this noint must be taken into consideration when comparisons are made with pre-war value.
"Cheaner sugar and cheaper butter mean cheaper biscuits, and a notice of reduction in price has been sent out for the first of the New Year.
"Margarine at 61d. to td. per pound is at pre-war prices, and as the same raw materials go to the manufacture of soap one finds difficult to understand why soap] of resistances. should ba Sd. per pound as against 3id. in pre-war days.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.