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The words "cost of living" have become synonymous with a struggle faced by an increasing number of Kiwi families. The news is full of stories about the price of butter, pain at the pump and pay parity. With the phrase first popping up in newspapers more than a century ago, reporter Kate Green takes a dive into the history of tough times.
The year is 1912, and the government, faced with rising inflation, has ordered a royal commission of inquiry into the cost of living.
An article by the Press Association in May 1912 explains: "The Commission is ordered to enquire into such questions as: Has the cost of living increased in New Zealand during the past twenty years; if so, has that
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