{ 6892 K69 Cornell University Library HD6892.K69 Trade unionism, unemployment, wages, pri I 3 1924 002 850 794 ,„ :ensus and Statistics MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA. LABOUR ® INDUSTRIAL BRANCH REPORT No. 2. Trade Unionism, Unemployment, Wages, Prices, and Cost of Living in Australia, 1891 to 1912. Prepared under Instructions from THE HON. KING O'MALLEY, M.P., Minister of State for Home Affairs, By G. H. KNIBBS, C.M.G., F.S.S., F.R.A.S., etc. Commonwealth Statistician. APRIL, I9I3. By authority: McCARRON, BIRD & CO., Printers, 479 Collins Street, Melbourne. DiyitizaU by Miuiui>uft® [C.a No. 187. THE MARTIN P. CATHERWOOD LIBRARY OF THE NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL OF INDUSTRIAL AND LABOR RELATIONS AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY Digitized by Microsoft® COMMONWEALTH BUREAU OF CENSUS AND STATISTICS MELBOURNE. AUSTRALIA. LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL BRANCH REPORT No. 2. Trade Unionism, Unemployment, Wages, ^^ Prices, and Cost of Living in Australia, 189M912 X Prepared under instructions from THE HON. KING O'MALLEY, M.P. Minister of State for Home Affairs. BY G. H. KNIBBS, C.M.G., F.S.S., F.R.A.S., etc. Commonwealth Statistician. April, 1913. By Authoritr: McCARRON, BIRD & CO.. Printera 479 Collini Sireet, Melbourne Digitized byMicrosoft® f^^c This book was digitized by Microsoft Corporation in cooperation witli Cornell University Libraries, 2007. You may use and print this copy in limited quantity for your personal purposes, but may not distribute or provide access to it (or modified or partial versions of it) for revenue-generating or other commercial purposes. Digitized by Microsoft® SYNOPSIS. Page. Section I. — ^Introductioii, 1. General 5 2. Sources of Information 5 3. Caaaaifloatlon of Industries . . . . 6 Section II — ^Labour Organisations 1. General . . . . . . . . . . 7 2. Confidential Nature of Individual Re- turns . . . . . . . . . . 7 3. Types of Trade Unions in Australia . . 7 (i.) Local Independent Unions . . 7 (ii.) State Organisations . . . . 8 (iii.) Interstate or Federated Unions . . . . . . 8 (iv.) Australian, British and Inter- national Organisations . . 9 4. Number and Membership of Trade Unions and Branches, 1912 . . . . 9 5. Number of Unions and Membership in Industry Groups and in each State, 1912 10 6. Number of Male and Female Members of Trade Unions, 1912 . . . . 11 7. Percentage of Members of Unions on Total Adult Population, 1912 . . 11 8. Development of Trade Unions in Com- monwealth, 1891 to 1912 . . . . 12 9. Classificalaon of Unions according to Number of Members, 1912 . . . . 13 10. Number and Membership of Federated Unions, 1912 14 11. Central Labour Organisations . . . . 14 Section in. — ^Floctnations in Employment and Unemployment. 1. General 16 2. Scope and Method of Inquiry . . . . 16 3. Number Unemployed in various Indus- tries, 1891 to 1912 17 4. Employment Index-Numbers, 1891 to 1912 19 5. Unemployment in different Industries, 1912 19 6. Unemployment in each State, 1912 . . 21 7. Trade Unions and Becords of Unem- ployment 21 Section IV.— Variations in Bates ol Wages and Honrs ot Laboni. 1. General 23 2. Methods of Compilation and Weighting 23 Page 3. Variations in Wage Index-Numbers in various Industries, 1891 to 1912 . . 24 4. Variations in Wage Indes-Numbers in different States, 1891 to 1912 . . 26 Section V.— Current Bates ol Wages in di!- leient Oocnpations and States. 1. General 28 2. Comparative Table of Time Bates ol Wages, 1913 28 3. Eelative Wages and Wage Index-Num- bers in different Industries and States, 1913 41 (i.) Weighted Average Rates of Wages in each State . . . . 41 (ii.) Weighted Average Bates of _ Wages in each Industrial Group 42 4. Eelative amounts of Wages Payable on the average in the Several States, 1891 to 1912 43 Section VI.— Betail Prices, House Bents^ and Cost ot Living. 1. Introduction . . 44 2. Scope of Investigation 45 3. Commodities and Bequirements included 46 4. Cost of Living in each Metropolitan Town, 1901 to 1912 48 (i.) Food and Groceries . . . . 48 (ii.) House Efint 51 (iii.) Cost of Living 52 (iv.) B^versibility ot Index-Numbers 53 5. Belative Cost of Living in different Towns, 1912 53 (i.) Groceries and Food . . . . 54 (ii.) House Bent 54 (iii.) Cost of Living 54 6. Variation in Purchasing Power of Money, 1901 to 1912 56 7. Montlily Fluctuations in. Cost of Living 1912 • .. ..57 8. Cost of Living in Northern Territory, 1913 58 9. Tables of Prices and House Bents, 1912 59 Section VII.— Wholesale Prices. 1. General 60 2, Commodities included and Methods adopted 60 Property of MARTIN p. CATHERWOOD LIBRARY Digitized by Microsoftmi YORK STATE SCHOOL INDUSTRIAL AND LABOR RELATIONS Synopsis. Page. 8. Index-Numbers and Graphs (1.) Table of Index-Numbers (ii.) Graphs (iii.) Seasonal Tluctuations 4. Table ot Prices, 1912 Section VIII Nominal and Ellective Wages. 1. General 2. Variations in Effective Wage Index- Numbers and Standard of Comfort, 1891 to 1912 3. Relative Standard of Comfort and Effec- tive Wage Index-Numbers in each State, 1912 4. Relative Productive Activity and Nominal and Effective Wages, 1871 to 1911 64 6i 65 05 Page. GBAFHS. Retail Prices and Cost of Living in Capital Towns, 1901 to 1912 50-1 Monthly Fluctuations in Cost of Living in Commonwealth, 1912 SB Melbourne Wholesale Price Index-Numbers, 1891 to 1912 63 Unemployment, Nominal and Effective Wages and Cost of Living, 1891 to 1912 67 Relative Productive Activity and Effective Wages, 1871 to 1911 70 APPENDIXES. I. Specimen Form used for Collection of Information 71 II. Retail Prices ui 1912 72-5 III. House Rents in 1912 76 IV. Wholesale Prices in Melbourne in 1912 77 Digitized by Microsoft® SECTION I.— INTRODUCTION. 1. General. — -I'lie main object of tMs Eeport is to present, in concise and convenient form, the results of certain investigations con- cerning the subjects of trade unionism, unemployment, and changes m rates of wages and hours of labour in the Commonwealth since the year 1891. These are the matters of most general interest and importance, now being investigated from year to year (beginning on the 1st January, 1913) by the Labour and Industrial Branch of this Bureau, and the inquiries in regard to these three matters were extended back to the year 1891, so as to furnish statistics which will be com- parable with those which it is proposed to publish periodically in the future. The continuity of the returns, now being collected, will thus be substantially preserved. In addition, it will be found that the Report furnishes particulars in a comparable form — firstly, as to current rates of wages and hours of labour in a number of the more important trades and occupations in the several States, and secondly, as to 'prices, price-indexes and cost of living up to the end of the year 1912. The interests concerned in certain of these questions are varied and extensive, and associated with the latter are some important aspects of those economic and industrial problems which have, in comparatively re- cent years, become the subject of so much research and discussion on the part of statesmen, publicists and students, as well as of those who are en- gaged in the practical application of Conciliation and Arbitration, In- dustrial Disputes and Wages Board Acts. Most, if not all, of the subjects dealt with in this Report have, in the past, not received in the Commonwealth that attention they now demand, and in view of the lack of data bearing thereon, it became necessary, before any comprehensive or reliable results could be , ob- tained, to commence the collection of the data de novo. ; 2. Sources of Information. — Forms were accordingly distributed to the Secretary of every Trade Union in Australia, asking for cer- tain information to be furnished. A specimen of the forms used for this purpose is shewn in Appendix I. hereof. It should be mentioned that four different forms were used, and, though substantially similar, they differed somewhat in detail, according as the information in regard to membership, unemployment, etc., to be supplied by the Secretary of the Union, related: — (a) to a whole State, including branches of the Union; (b) to a Head Office district only; (c) to an independent Union having no branches ; or (d) to a branch only of a Union. The details of these forms are referred to hereinafter in dealing with the several branches of inquiry. Digitized by Microsoft® 6 Intbodtjction. On return to tlie central Bureau, the particulars given on the forms were carefully examined and checked, where possible, by refer- ence to awards and determinations of industrial tribunals, and to official reports and documents. In case of any discrepancy or apparent incon- sistency, the forms were returned for verification and correction, gener- ally through the Labour Agents and Correspondents of the Bureau. It is gratifying to note that the response of the Union Secretaries ■rffas, on the whole, very satisfactory, and the thanks of the Bureau are due to many who went to a considerable amount of trouble and per- sonal inconvenience in order to obtain from the books of their Associa- tions and from other sources the desired information for past years as far back as 1891. At the outset, the progress of the work was some- what hindered by the suspicions and apprehensions of officials of a few labour organisations, but this hindrance practically vanished, as soon as it was realised that the affairs of any single Union would not be disclosed in the published results, and that the investigations had no regard to the prejudices of any political designs, but were being made solely for general statistical purposes. In one or two cases demands for the information had to be issued under the penal pro- visions of the Census and Statistics Act 1905. It will be seen herein- after that returns have been received from every trade union in the Commonwealth. 3. Classification of Industries. — For the purpose of tabulating and publishing the results of the investigations which have been made in regard to labour organisations, unemployment, rates of wages, etc., the following industrial classification of trades and occupations has been adopted: — Classification of Industries and Occupations. I. Wood, Furniture, Sawmill, Timber- workers, &c. VIII. Mining, Quarries, &c. II. Engineering, Shipbiulding, Smelt- ing, Metal Works, &c. IX. Railway and Tramway Services. III. Food, Drink, and Tobacco Manu- facturing and Distribution. X. Other Land Transport. IV. Clothing, Hats, Boots, Textiles, Rope, Cordage, &c. XI. Shipping, Wharf Labour, &c. V. Books, Printing, Bookbinding, &c. XII. Pastoral, Agricultural, Rural, Horticultural, &c. VI. Other Ma,Tiufacturing. XIII. Domestic, Hotels, &c. VII. Building. XIV. Miscellaneous. Digitized by Microsoft® SECTION II.— LABOUR ORGANISATIONS. l._ General. — Trade unionism and the organisation of labour are attracting a closer attention to-day than perhaps at any previous time, both in Australia and elsewhere. The information given in this sec- tion is intended to shew the general situation in regard to this move- ment in the Commonwealth at the present time, as well as its develop- ment since the year 1891. Returns were first collected from the Sec- retary of each trade union throughout Australia, shewing — among other things — the date and scheme or system of organisation; this was fol- lowed by the form already referred to and shewn in Appendix I. It is ordinarily but little realised that the systems of organisation already evolved are varied and in some cases even elaborate, a fact not adequately appreciated even by many actually engaged in the work of labour organisation. The statistical information here given will therefore be of value, not only to the public generally, but even to those participating in, or directly • affected by that work. 2. Confidential Nature of Individual Returns. — ^The cordial co-operation of the officials of labour organisations has greately mini- mised the difficulties of collecting comprehensive figures relating to the development of organised labour, but even with this assistance the task of obtaining a complete enumeration of practically the whole of the unions in Australia has been a formidable one. Only very few of the smaller unions maintain business offices. The frequent change of officers ; the failure to appreciate that it was compulsory (under the provisions of the Census and Statistics Act 1905) upon the Secretaries to answer the inquiries to the best of their knowledge, belief and information; the organisation and dissolving of unions and Ibranches ; misconceptions as to the object and value of the investigations of the Bureau, and the disinclination to furnish information of a confidential nature, the puD- lication of which might (it was thought) be detrimental to the interests of trade unionism, have all contributed to delay the completion of the work. It is, consequently, more than ordinarily satisfactory to observe that it is now widely recognised by labour organisations that statistics of individual organisations are absolutely confidential. 3. Types of Trade Unions in Australia. — The types of trade unions in Australia are very diverse in character, and range from the small independent association to the large inter-State organisation, which, in its turn, may be merely a branch of a British or international union. Broadly speaking, there are four distinct classes of labour organisations, viz. : — (i.) the local independent, (ii.) the State, (iii.), the interstate, and (iv.) the Australasian or international, but a number of variations occur from each of these classes. (i.) Local Independent Unions. — 'The local independent trade union is composed of wage-earners working in a definite locality and employed Digitized by Microsoft® 8 Labour Organisations in the same trade or occupation. It is autonomous and its affairs are directed by an executive committee, created and empowered by direct vote of the members in formal meetings. Certain organisations of this type, extending over a considerable area (such, for example, as miners' associations), are divided, mainly for the purpose of the collection of subscriptions, into subordinate departments, for each of which a col- lector or shop-steward is appointed. These sub-departments are known as "lodges" or "agencies." (ii.) State Associations.Stsite unions have a head bffice or "lodge," generally in the capital town of the State in which they operate, and branch "lodges" in the localities which form the chief industrial centres for wage-earners following the trade or occupation organised. The degree of autonomy enjoyed by the branch lodges varies, but generally the members of the branches possess full powers of government over their own affairs. In some unions, however, certain questions, such as control of disputes, matters of finance, and power to impose levies, are expressly vested in a central executive appointed by the whole of the members. Secretaries of lodges furnish periodic statements as to mem- bership, subscriptions and funds, as well as copies of balance-sheets to the head oiEce secretary, and provision is usually made in the rules to the effect that each lodge may retain a specified sum in order to meet working expenses of the lodge, but all amounts over that sum must be paid into a general fund controlled by trustees appointed by the whole union. The object of this arrangement is to provide a financial basis for general organising purposes or for concerted action in matters affecting the welfare of the union as a whole. An important example of this type of union is the State union, organised by localities, and not by trade or occupation. Any "bona-fide worker" may become a member of such a union, and the rules provide for the organisation of branches sending delegates to district committees, with a central executive and annual conference. (iii.) Interstate or Federated Unions. — A union of this type con- sists of a group of organisations covering a larger territory than a single State, but ordinarily having jurisdiction over but one trade or several closely allied trades. An inter-State union has a central executive office situated, generally, in one of the metropolitan towns. In most oases there is also a head State office in each State in which the union operates. Though generally possessing wide powers of self- government in each State, the supreme authority is vested in the annual conference of delegates and in a central executive body. State branohes often have sub-branches throughout the State. These sub-branches are generally responsible, and make periodic returns as to membership, finance, etc., to the head State offices, which in turn send in their state- ments to the general secretary of the whole organisation. The executive or managing committee is usually elected annually at a meeting of the general council, the delegates to which are themselves elected by members of each State branch, the number of delegates from each State being apportioned on a membership basis. The revenue of the central body is ordinarily derived from capitation fees payable by each State, and, after payment of management expenses, is set aside for organising work and for legal expenses, etc. In the case of unions registered under the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1904-1911, the federal Digitized by Microsoft® Labour Organisations. 9 rules must comply with the provisions of that Act, and similarly in' case of a State branch or an independent State union being registered under a State Trade Union or Industrial Act, the rules must comply with the provisions of the State Act. (iv.) Australasian, British and Interna.tiondl Organisations, — An association of this type represents a group of State unions forming an Australian section of a wider organisation extending to other parts of the world. For example, in regard to persons occupied in the mer- chant service, it has been found advantageous and convenient, in view of the nomadic nature of the occupations, to inclhde the organisation of the workers iii New Zealand with those in Australia. The control of such a union is primarily vested in a federal council, consisting of delegates from the "districts." District councils have cognizance of all matters of merely local interest. Another type of organisation is the Australian section of the British national or international organisation, which may have branch sections also in Canada, the United States, New Zealand, South Africa, and other countries. In so far as these Australian sections are con- cerned, they do not differ widely from the inter-State or federated unions, to which reference has already been made. 4. Number and Membership of Trade Unions and Branches, 1912. — The following table gives particulars of the number of trade unions, the number of branch unions and the number of members in each State and the Commonwealth at the end of the year 1912. Number of Trade Unions, Branch Unions and Membership, 1912. Particulars. N.S.W. Vic. Qld. S.A. W.A. Tas. Total. C'wlth. • No. of Separate Unions No. of Branches No. of Members 177 453 192,626 151 241 116,557 57 226 44,768 78 62 37,336 97 177 33,282 51 33 8,655 621 1,192 433,224 t408 1,405 433,224 * Allowing for Inter-State excess, t This figure represents the number of distinct organiza- tions and Inter-State groups of organisations in the Commonwealth. It does not represent the total number of organisations which are practically independent and seU-goveming. (See re- marks below). In the above table the number of separate unions in each State fur- nishes the number of unions which are represented in each State (ex- clusive of branches within a State). That is to say, each imion repre- sented in a State is only counted once, regardless of the number of branches in that State. Except in the last column, the number of branches indicates the number of branches of State head offices, which may, of course, them- selves, be branches of an inter-State or larger organisation. In taking the total numher of separate unions in the Commonwealth (see last column), it is obvious that, in the case of inter-State and similar unions, there will be duplication, since each such union is counted once in each State' in which it has any branches. In the figures specified in the last column, deduction is made for this duplication. State branches of inter-State or federated unions, as well as sub-branches within a State, are included under the heading "branches" in the second line of the last column. It should be observed, however, that the scheme of organisation of these inter-State or federated unions varies Digitized by Microsoft® 10 Laboub Organisations. greatly in character, and the number of separate Commonwealth, unions does not fairly represent the number of practically independent or- ganisations in Australia. In some of these unions the State organisa- tions are bound together under a system of unification with centralised control, while in others the State units are practically independent and self-governing, the federal bond being loose and existing only for one or two specified purposes. It may be seen, therefore, that there are 408 distinct organisations and inter-State groups of organisations in the Commonwealth, having 1405 State branches and sub-branches, and a total of 433,224 members.. 5. Number of Unions and Membership in Industrial Groups, 1912. — ^^The scheme of industrial classification adopted for the grouping of unions has already been referred to (see page ti). The following ' table gives the number of unions and members thereof in each State. The number of unions specified for each State refers to the number of different unions represented in each State; that is to say, inter-State or federated unions are counted once in each State in which they are represented, but sub-ibranches within a State are not counted. In order to avoid disclosing the affairs of individual unions, in cases where there are only either one or two unions in any group in a State, the member- ship is not given separately. Number of Unions and Numbers in Industrial Groups in Each State, 1912. Industrial Groups.t N.S.W. Vic. Q'ld. S.A. W.A. Tas. Total. Number of Unions. 1. Wood, Furniture, etc. 4 4 6 4 4 2 24 n. Engineering, Metal Works, etc. . 16 20 9 12 10 4 71 III. Food, Drink, Tobacco, etc. 20 18 7 8 12 5 70 IV. Clothing, Hats, Boots, etc. 9 11 3 3 2 33 V. Books, Printing, etc. 7 10 3 2 6 2 30 VI. Other Manufacturing 26 21 6 12 10 5 80 vn. Building 14 14 8 7 10 7 60 VUl. Mining, yuarrtes, etc. 16 3 1 2 4 2 28 IX. Eailway and Tramway Services . 7 3 4 3 5 3 25 X. Other Land Transport . . 6 5 3 2 2 1 19 XI. Shipping, etc 12 5 6 7 4 8 41 Xn. Pastoral, Agricultural, etc. 3 6 1 1 2 1 14 XIII. Domestic, Hotels, etc. . . 8 6 2 3 6 2 27 XIV. Miscellaneous 29 25 9 10 19 7 99 Total 177 151 67 78 97 51 ■ 621 NuuBEB Of Members. I. Wood, Furniture, etc 6,238 4,462 1,635 1,421 3,773 * 17,529t II. Engineering, Metal, Works, etc. 12,912 9,169 1,944 3,862 1,841 225 29,953 III. Foods, Drink, Tobacco, etc. 11,273 8,771 4,286 2,214 1,268 320 28,132 IV. Clothing, Hats, Boots, etc. 5,936 7,728 1,245 1,005 468 * 16,382t V. Books, Printing, etc 3,355 3,166 484 * 406 Id 7,420t VI. Other Manufacturing 12,619 7,756 578 1,699 2,026 160 24,838 VII. Building 10,719 8,185 2,174 2,236 1,893 402 25,609 VIII. Mines, Quarries, etc. 21,731 5,791 6,670 • 34,192t IX. Eailway and Tramway Services . . 31,626 12,728 2,931 2,865 4,725 1,130 56,005 X. Other Land Transport 4,708 5,220 1,878 • * * 12,806t XI. Shipping, etc 17,540 6,026 5,039 4,136 1,530 729 35,000 XII. Pastoral, Agricultural, etc. 21,624 15,621 ♦ * * * 50,726t Xm. Domestic, Hotels, etc 6,008 4,869 374 1,733 1,249 » 14,233t XIV. Miscellaneous 26,337 17,065 13,262 7,338 5,559 430 69,991 Total 192,626 116,557 44,768 37,336 33,282 8,655 433,224 J avauaoie lor puDiication separately ; it 1 Totals, t Incomplete, see footnote *. Digitized by Microsoft® Labour Organisations. 11 It may be seen that, with the exception of Group XIV., Miscellane- ous, the membership is greatest in Group IX., Eailway and Tramway Services (56,005 members), followed fairly closely by Group XII., Agricultural, Pastoral, etc., with over 50,000 members. The least im- portant group from the point of view of membership is Group IV., Books, Printing, etc., with 7580 members. 6. Number of Male and Female Members of Unions, 1912.-^ The total membership of trade unions in Australia at the end of the year 1912 was 433,224, consisting of 415,554 males and 17,670 females. It may be seen from the following table that the greatest number of females in any individual group belong to Group IV. (Clothing, Hats, Boots, etc.), which comprised 6801 female mem'bers. Nmnber of Male and Female Members of Trade Unions in Australia, 1912. Par- Industrial Group No.* ticulars. I. II. 29,953 III. 25,951 2,181 28,132 IV. 9,890 6,801 16,691 V. 7,302 912 VI. 23,755 1,083 24,838 VII. VIII. IX. 56,005 56,006 X. XI. 35,000 XII. XIII. 10,379 3,910 XIV. 67,314 2,677 Total. Males ... Females 18,567 2 25,609 25,609 39,203 39,203 14,546 4 14,550 52,080 100 415,554 17,670 Total ... 18,569 29,953 8,214 35,000 52,180 14,289 69,991 433,224 " As to classi&catiou in industrial groups see page 6 hereinbefore. These figures shew that the females comprised in Groups IV. (Clothing, etc.) and XIII. (Domestic, Hotels, etc.) amount to 10,711, or 60.6 per cent, on the total female membership. Of the total mem- bership of all groups, 415,554, or 95.9 per cent., were males, and 17,670, or 4.1 per cent., females. 7. Percentage of Male and Female Members of Unions on Total Number of Employees 20 years of age and over, 1912.^The results of the Census taken in 1911 shew the percentage of male and female employees (i.e., persons "in receipt of wages or salary," and persons "unemployed"), 20 years of age and over, on the total male and female population. Applying these percentages to the estimated total male and female population in 1912, the estimated number of adult em- ployees of each sex in 1912 may be obtained. The following table shews separately for males and females and for each State (a) the number of members of trade unions, (b) the esti- mated total number of employees of each sex, 20 years of age and over, in aU professions, trades, and occupations, and (c) the percentage of the former (a) on the latter (b). It should be pointed out that the estimated total number of employees comprises all persons (over the age t,pecif,ed) in receipt of wages or salary, as well as those unemployed; the estimate therefore includes a large number of adults who are either not eligible at all for membership of any trade union (such as certain persons employed in professional occupations) or who, while eligible for membership in so far as the nature of their trade or occupation is Digitized by Microsoft® 12 Labotjb Organisations. concerned, do not reside in a locality wMcli is covered by any union embracing the particular trade or occupation followed. It is also proper to observe tbat the age at wbicb persons are eligible for membership varies in different unions. The Census results are classified m quin- quennial age groups, and the sum of the groups 20 years of age and over is taken as more closely approximating to the average age of admission to membership than that of any other groups. Percentage o£ Male and Female Members of Unions on Estimated Total Number of Male and Female Employees, 20 years of Age and over, in all Professions Trades, and Occupations, 1912. Males. Particulars. N.S.W. Vic. Q'land. S.A. W.A. Tas. C'wth. No. of Members of Unions . . 185,524 109,860 44,139 35,258 32,299 8,474 415,554 Estimated Total No. of Em- ployees 20 yrs. of age and over 368,444 249,806 132,242 80,631 78,898 34,578 944,599 Percent, of Mem- bers on Esti- mated Total No. Employees 50.35 43.98 33.38 43.73 40.94 24.51 43.99 Females. No. of Members of Unions . . Estimated Total No. of Em- ployees 20 yrs. of age and over Percent, of 'Mem- bers on Esti- mated Total No. Employees 7,102 6,697 629 2,078 983 181 74,891 75,055 23,927 17,510 11,595 7,235 9.48 8.92 2.63 11.87 8.48 2.50 17,670 210,213 K.4I As regards males, it may be seen that the percentage of members of trade unions on the estimated total number of employees, 20 years of age and over, ranges from 24.51 in Tasmania to over 50 in ifew South Wales, the proportion for the whole Commonwealth being just on 44 per cent. The percentage of female members is, of course, much lower, viz., 8.41 for the whole 'Commonwealth ; it is again lowest in Tasmania (2.5 per cent.), but is highest in South Australia (11.87 per cent.). 8. Development of Trade Unions in Australia, 1891 to 1912. — The following table shews for the years specified the total number of trade unions in the Commonwealth, and the number and membership of those unions for which returns are available. The estimated total membership of all unions is shewn in the last line. The number of unions specified is the sum of the number of separate unions repre- sented in the several States, no deduction having been made for inter- State excess. (See paragraph 5 hereinbefore.) Digitized by Microsoft® Laboub Organisations. 13 The figures given do not include particulars of comparatively 1Q10 If unimportant unions which were in existence prior to the year xviz, but which, by that year, had either become amalgamated with otner unions or had been disbanded or become defunct. Particulars lor the more important unions in existence prior to 1912, but not in existence in that year, have, however, been included in all cases where possiDie. ihe actual returns received at this Bureau from trade unions ■nave, m some instances, where memberships for past years were not given been supplemented from particulars pubHshed by the State Kegistrars of Trade Unions ■ Number and Membership of Trade Unions in Commonwealth, 1891 to 1912. Particulars. 1891. 1896. 1901. 1906. 1907. 1908. 1909. 1910. 1911. 1912. Total Nmnber of Unions . . No. of Unions for which membership available . . Hembership of these Unions Estimated Total Membership of all Unions 124 72 31,871 54,888 134 83 34,108 55,066 198 139 68,218 97,174 302 323 253 286 147,049 172,310 175,529 194,602 1 378 334 212,483 240,475 419 375 244,747 300,184 482 442 277,047 302,119 573 542 344,999 364,732 621 621 433,224 433,224 These figures shew that whileffil number of unions in 1912 was just over five times the number in iftftl, the estimated membership during the same period increased nearly 8 times. During the last six years the estimated annual increase in membership was greatest in the year 1912, when it amounted to no less than 68,492, and least in 1910, when it was only 1985. The present tendency of the trade union movement in Australia is towards "closer unionism," generally by the organisation of the workers in two or more States into inter-State or federated unions, and by the grouping together of trades or industries more or less closely allied.' Particulars are not available for past years as to the number of separate organisations in the Commonwealth, that is, allowing for inter-State excess in the enumeration of unions within each State (see page 9.) It appears certain, however, that the number of separate organisations and inter-State groups of organisations in the Common- wealth has, in view of the tendency referred to, increased to a less extent than the figures in the above table indicate.* It is expected that in future years this tendency will be clearly reflected in the returns in which deductions will be made for inter-State excess. 9. Classifications of Unions in Commonwealth according to Nmnber of Members, 1912. — The subjoined table shows the number and membership of all trade unions in the Commonwealth in 1912, classified according to size. In this table inter-State unions are, of course, only counted once (see page 9 hereinbefore). *0n page 9 it is shewn that the number of separate organisations and interstate groups of organisations in the Commonwealth in 1912 was 408, compared with 621, the sum of the separate unions in the several States. Digitized by Microsoft® u Labour Obganisations, Classification of Unions in Commonwealth according to Number of Members, 1912. Classification. it s"1 "1° ill '^"1°" iJi 1 1. i|i r ! 1 Total. ITumbei of XTnionB Membership 7 132,335 15 99,718 2« 79,614 43 60,558 32 22,586 32 12,234 39 9,483 67 9,823 72 5,106 75 2,268 408 433,242 It may be seen that the seven largest unions (in the group 10,000 and over) comprise 132,335, or no less than 30.5 per cent, of the total membership of all unions, while the next group (5000 and under 10,000) comprises 99,718 members, or 23.0 per cent. It appears prob- able that the tendency towards "closer unionism" will accentuate this centralisation in the larger organisations in future years. 10. Number and Membership of Interstate or Federated Unions, 1912. — ^Reference has already been made to the present tendency towards closer unionism. The following table gives particulars as to the number and membership of inter-State or federated unions in 1912 :— Number and Membership of Interstate or Federated Unions in Common- wealth, 1912. Unions Operating in — Particulars. 2 States. 3 States. 4 States. 5 States. 6 States. Total. Number of Uuions Number of Members . . 20 31,358 11 18,147 17 55,517 14 43,548 10 131,201 72 279,771 It appears, therefore, that 72 out of the 408 separate associations and groups of associations in the Commonwealth are organised on an inter-State basis. The membership of these 72 unions amounts to 279,771, or no less than 64.6 per cent, on the total membership (433,224) of all unions. 11. Central Labour Organisations. — In each of the metropolitan towns, as well as in a number of other industrial centres, delegate organisations, consisting of representatives from a group of trade unions, have been established. Their revenue is raised by means of a per capita tax on the members of each affiliated union. In most of tha towns where such central organisations exist the majority of the local unions are affiliated with the central organisation, which is usually known as the Labour or the Trades Hall Council or the Labour Federa- tion. In Queensland and Western Australia a unified system of or- ganisation extends over the industrial centres throughout each State. In each of these States there is a provincial branch of the Australian Labour Federation, having a central council and executive, a metro- politan and branch district councils, to which the local bodies are Digitized by Microsoft® Labour Organisations. 15 afoliated. The central council, on whicli all district councils axe re- presented, meets periodically. In the other four States, however, the organisation is not so close, and though provision usually exists in the rules of the central council at the capital town of each State for the organisation of district councils or for the representation on the central council of the local councils in the smaller industrial centres of the State, the councils in each State are, as a matter of fact, in-, dependent bodies. The table below shews the number of metropolitan and district dr local labour councils, together with the number of unions and branches of unions affiliated therewith, in each State in February, 1913. Central Labour Organisations— Number and Unions Affiliated, 1913. Particulars. N.S.W. Vic. Q'land. S.A. W.A. Tas. C'wth. No. of Councils Approximate No. of Unions and Braaich Unions Affiliated 3 151 4 186 2* 21 4 73 11 130 1 23 25 584 * In addition two important unions are directly affiliated to the Provincial Coimcil of the Australian Labour Federation. The figures given in the above table as to number of unions do not necessarily represent separate unions, since the branches of a large union _may be affiliated to the local trades councils in the several towns in which they are represented. Between the trade union and the central organisation of unions may be classed certain State or district councils, organised on trade lines and composed of delegates from separate unions, the interests of the members of which are closely connected by reason of the occupations of their members, such, for example, as delegate councils of bakers, bread carters and mill employees, or of unions connected directly or indirectly with the iron, steel or brass trades, or with the building trades. Digitized by Microsoft® SECTION III.— FLUCTUATIONS IN EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT. 1. General. — In tHe following Section of tHs report, the method of index-numbers has been applied to trace the course of rates of wages in the Commonwealth since 1891. In the first report issued by the Labour and Industrial Branch of this Bureau, and in section VI. of this report, changes in prices and cost of living have been traced by a similar method. In order to further elucidate the progress of events, it is desirable to supplement that information, so far as practicable, by furnishing index-numbers which disclose the fluctuations in employ- ment and unemployment, and in the present section an attempt is accordingly made to do this. Employment index-numbers serve not only to throw light upon the figures shewing the course of wages, prices, and cost of living, inasmuch as they indicate the relative loss of time through lack of employment, but also furnish a useful measure of the fluctuations of industrial activity, regarded as a whole. In this connection, it may be said that while export statistics relate only to the margin of national production which is sent overseas, statistics of employment measure, on the other hand, the relative activity or depression of the whole of the industries to which they relate, including, that is, production for the home market as well as for export. 2. Scope and Method of Inquiry. — For the purpose of the present inquiry, it has been necessary to perform the task of carrying the figures backwards, as far back as the year 1891, from special returns collected from the secretaries of trade unions. The forms used for this purpose have already been referred to, and a specimen is shown in Appendix I. The Bureau has to acknowledge with thanks the readi- ness with which such records as exist were furnished by the persons concerned. In Australia, but few of the trade unions pay any form of un- employment benefit, and consequently accurate and complete records of unemployment are difficult to obtain. For that reason the present investigation for past years was advisedly limited to a record of the numbers unemployed at the end of each year. The results are, there- fore, subject to certain limitations, inasmuch as they do not take into account variations in employment and Unemployment throughout the year, due to seasonal activity and other causes. For the above reasons it is not safe to conclude that the actual percentage returned as unemployed in past years by trade unions at the end of each year is equal to the average percentage unemployed during the year. Nevertheless, for the purpose of making comparisons and shewing tendencies over a period of years, the percentages returned as unemployed, though not exact, are the most satisfactory figures avail- Digitized by Microsoft® Fluctuations in Employment and Unemployment. 17 able, and tlie average percentages and index-numbers computed for llie several States and groups of unions may be taken as denoting the true course of events with substantial accuracy.* It may be mentioned that, in order to overcome tbe difficulties alluded to in regard to seasonal fluctuations, returns as to numbers iinemployed are now being collected each quarter (since the beginning of the year 1913) from trade unions. 3. Number Unemployed in Various Industries, 1891 to 1912.— The subjoined table shows for each of the years specified: — (a) The number of unions for which returns as to unemployment are available. (b) The number of members of such unions. (c) The number of members unemployed, and (d) The percentage of members unemployed on the total number of members of those unions for which returns are available. The information given in this table obviously does not furnisls a complete register of unemployment. In the first place, it relates only to the number unemployed at the end of the year (see preceding paragraph hereof), and, secondly, it does not cover more than a part of the industrial field. The latter question, as to how far the trade union returns can be used to supply inferencees as to the general state of the labour market, depends, of course, upon the extent to which the men covered by them can be taken as a fair sample of the industrial population. A brief examination of the following figures shows that for the earlier years particulars as to unemployment are available ror only a small number of unions, while for the year 1912, returns are included for 464 unions, with 224,023 members, representing nearly 75 per cent, on the total number of unions, and 52 per cent, on the total membership. And attention should here be drawn to the fact that the value of the comparisons which can be made is, to some extent, vitiated by the fact that returns are not available for the same unions throughout. As regards the year 1912, the table on page 20 shews that for most of the important industries, returns are available for a considerable number of unions and members. It is not unlikely, however, that particulars of unemployment are, on the whole, more generally availaible for those trades in which liability to unemployment is above the average of skilled occupations. Thus the building and engineering industries are heavily represented in the returns, while such comparatively stable industries, such as railway service, are hardly represented at all. On the other hand, unskilled casual labour cannot> in the nature of the case, be well represented in the returns, which relate mainly to skilled workmen. Thus, for some reasons, the percentage given is likely to be greater, and for other reasons less, than the true average percentage unemployed throughout the country. • Some description of the various methods of testing the state of the labour market may be found in the Board of Trade Memorandmn on Industrial Conditions (Second Series). Cd. 2837, fee™also "Eapp'ort Priliminaire sur la Statistiqne Internationale du Chamage," M. Louis Tarlez, Gand, 1912. Digitized by Microsoft® 18 Fluotuations in Employment and Unemployment. Unemployment in Tiades Unions, Number and Membership of Unions for which Returns available, and Number and Percentage Unemployed, 1891 to 1912. Particulars. 1801, 1896. 190t. 1906. 1907. 1908. 1909. 1910. 1911. 1912. No. of Unions for which i returns available 25 25 39 47 51 68 84 1 109 160 464 Membership 6,445 4,227 8,710 11,299 13,179 18,685 21,122 1 32,995 67,961 224,023 No. unemployed at end of year ... > 599 457 574 753 757 1,117 1,223 1 1,857 3,171 12,441 Percentage of unem- ployed at end of year*... 9.29 10.81 6.59 6.67 5.74 5.98 5.79 5.63 4.67 5.55 *See graph in paragraph 2, Section VIII. The figures given in tlie last line of the above table indicate the percentage returned each year as unemployed, that is to say, they shew, on the average, the percentage of full time which was lost during the year, on the assumption that the unemployment returns for the end of the year are representative of the state of employment throughout the year. It may be seen that the extent of unemployment was greatest in 1896 and least in 1911. The significance of the figures may be better appreciated by reference to the graph in paragraph 2 of the last section of this report. The general trend of the graph shews a decline in unemployment since 1896. In 1912, however, there was an increase of about 0.8 per cent. The high percentage for 1891 was largely due, no doubt, to the dislocation of industry following the maritime strike, while the still higher percentage for 1896 may be traced to the prevalent industrial depression, especially in Victoria, caused by the bank failures and the severe droughts. It may be noticed that, though the number of unions reporting in 1896 is the same as in 1891, the number of members shows a large reduction. This indicates that, in time of severe in- dustrial depression, when employment is bad, the members tend to drift away from the unions. Many probably leave their ordinary places of residence in search of work elsewhere. The accuracy of the above results as an index to the general state of employment among all male wage-earners in Australia is confirmed by the results obtained from the censuses of 1891, 1901 and 1911, the closeness of the percentages obtained from these two independent sources for the two latter years being remarkable. A comparison of the results is shewn in following table : — Unemployment in Australia, Comparison between Results obtained from Trade Union Inquiries and from Censuses of 1891, 1901 and 1911. Particulars. From Trade Union Returns From Census Results* . . Percentage Unemployed in — 1891. 9.29 7.46t 1901. 6.59 6.50t 1911. 4.67 4.. 53 * ■^"'"t,*" ]°*'^ '"^^ earners, excluding "professional" oooutiations. t Based on results for New South Wales and Victoria only. Digitized by Microsoft® Fltjctuations in Employment and Unemployment. 19 It will be noticed that while the figures for the years 1901 and 1911 are very close, there is a difference of nearly 2 per cent, in the results for 1891. This may probably be accounted for by the fact that the trade union returns relate to the end of the year, while the census was taken in March, the intervening period being one of in- creasing industrial depression following on the maritime and shearers' strikes and the collapse of the boom. 4. Employment Index-Numbers, 1891 to 1912.— For greater convenience of examination and comparison with other statistical data, the percentages of unemployed have been subtracted from 100, so as to shew the percentage of members not returned as unemployed. These percentages are shewn in the first line of the subjoined table. It is, however, to be particularly noted that these figures must not be regarded as indicating the percentage of full employment which was obtained in each year by an average worker. Apart from such questions as overtime and short time, the loss of time through sickness, holidays, strikes, or unpunetuality is not included.* This caution is necessary in order to prevent misleading inferences being drawn. The percentages given indicate merely the average percentage of members of trade unions who were not returned by them as being out of work through want of employment. The final step is to construct an employment index-num'ber in the usual way, by taking employment at the end of the standard year 1911 as base (= 1000), and computing the level of employment for each of the other years of the series in relation to that which existed in the basic year. Percentage of Members of Trade Unions not returned as Unemployed and Employment Index-Numbers, 1891 to 1912. Particulars. Percentage Tiot returned as unemployed ... Employment Index-Number 19U=1000. 1891. 1896. 1901. 1906. 1907. 1908. 1909. 1910.. 1911. 1912, 90.71 89.19 93.41 93.33 94.26 94.02 94.21 94.37 95.33 94.45 952 936 980 979 989 986 988 990 1000 991 The figures given in the first line of the above table indicate the percentage of full time worked on the average in each year, on the assumption that the unemployment returns for the end of the year are representative of the state of employment throughout the year; while those in the second line shew (on the same assumption) the relative state of employment in each year compared with the year 1911, the state of employment being measured, of course, by the percentage of full time worked. It may be seen that employment was worst in 1896, and that for none of the years under review was it so good as in 1911. 5. Unemployment in Different Industries, 1913. — The following table shews the relative percentages unemployed in several of the four- • See " British and Foreign Trade and Industrial Conditions Memoranda by the Board of Trade," Cd. 23S7 1904, p. 83. Digitized by Microsoft® 20 Fluctttations in Employment and Unemployment, teen industrial groups. Attention lias already been drawn to the fact that some of the industries, such as Railways, Shipping, and Agricul- ture, are insufficiently represented. For those industries in which employment is either unusually stable or, on the other hand, excep- tionally casual, information as to unemployment cannot ordinarily be obtained from trade unions. Particulars are not, therefore, _ shewn separately for Groups IX. (Railway, etc.. Services), XI. (Shipping, etc.) and XII. (Agricultural, Pastoral, etc.), such returns as are avail- able for these groups being included in the last group, "Other and Miscellaneous." Unemployed in different Industries at end of year 1912. No. of No. of No. of Per- Unions Unions Member- Unem- centage Industrial Group. in Re- ship of ployed in Unem- Exist- porting. Unions. Unions ployed. ence. Reporting. I. Wood, Furniture, &c. . . 24 22 15,289 570 3.73 II. Engineering, Metal Works, &c 71 62 26,217 1,927 7.35 III. Food, Drink, Tobacco, &e. 70 57 15,995 1,174 7.34 IV. Clothing, Hats, Boots, &c. 33 29 15,833 995 6.29 V. Books, Printing, &o. 30 29 8,161 231 2.83 VI. Other Manufacturing 80 70 23,053 1,600 6.94 VII. Building 60 54 22,782 1,251 5,49 VIII. Mining, Quarrying, &c. . . 28 21 26,925 1,513 5.62 X. Other Land Transport . . 19 13 12,326 135 1.10 XIII. Domestic, Hotels, &c. . . 27 21 13,604 899 .6.61 IX., XI., XII., and XIV., Other and Miscellaneous 179 86 43,838 2,146 4.80 -Total 621 464 224,023 12,441 5.55 The above figures indicate the relative degree of unemployment in the various industrial groups at the end of the year 1912. They do not necessarily indicate relative unemployment during the year, inasmuch as they do^ not take into account seasonal variations. It appears, however, that the effect on the aggregate result of this omission is relatively unimportant since it may be said that, in the aggregate re- sult those trades which are specially active at one period of the year are counterbalanced by those which are dull at that time. Moreover, reference has already been made to the fact that the accuracy of the general results is strongly confirmed by comparison with the census results (see p. 18). From the above figures it may be seen that the degree of unemploy- ment varies considerably in different industries, ranging from 1.1 per cent, in Group X. (Other Land Transport, comprising chiefly carters and drivers) to 7.35 per cent, in Group II. (Engineering, Shipbuilding, Smelting, Metal Works, etc.) Digitized by Microsoft® Flucttjaiiohs in Employment and Unempioymbnt. 21 6. Unemployment in each State, 1912. — Any deductions which, can he drawn from the data collected as to the relative degree of unemployment in the several States are subject to certain qualifications (in addition to those already stated on page 16-), inasmuch as the industries included in the trade union returns are not uniform for each State. In comparing the results for the individual States, it must therefore be borne in mind that, to some extent, at least, com- parisons are being drawn between different industries and not only between different States. JSTevertheless, since the industrial occupations of the people vary considerably in the several States, aU comparisons be- tween the States based on comprehensive data as to unemployment must, to some extent, suffer from the defect indicated. Unemployment in each State at end of year 1912. Particulars. N.S.W. Vic. Q'ld. S.A. W.A. Tas. 177 142 151 107 167 50 78 54 97 77 51 34 98,307 4,869 4.95 71,805 4,822 6.71 13,302 614 4.62 19,510 989 5.07 17,769 1,033 5.82 3,380 114 3.37 C'wlth. No. of Unions in Existence No of Unions Reporting ■. . Membership of Unions Re- porting No. of Members Unemployed Percentage Unemployed . . 621 464 224,023 12,441 5.55 The above figures shew that, at the time indicated, the degree of unemployment was greatest in Victoria, followed, in the order named, by "Western Australia, South Australia, KT.S. "Wales, and Queensland, with Tasmania last. 7. Trade Unions and Records of Unemployment. — The figures given in paragraph 4 shew only changes in the average state of employment, and throw no light on the internal distribution of unemployment on the whole body of work people. For example, they do not provide the requisite data for computing the number and proportion of those who were in full employment during a given year, or the number and proportion who lost, say, five, ten, or any given percentage of their working time. The data from which valuable information of this kind can be obtained is available for only two or three unions in the Commonwealth, although the amount of work necessary to keep the requisite records is not great. If other unions follow the example, material of much sociological value will be available for discussion. It may be addition- ally noted, however, that a number of unions are recognising the importance of the matter. For example, one union has recently es- tablished a card system from which complete information as to unem- ployment can be obtained from their members. Through the courtesy of the general secretary of that union, copies of the cards used are reproduced below. Digitized by Microsoft® n Fluctuations in Employment and Unemployment. Cards used for Collection of Information as to Unemployment. The Australian Plumbers and Gasfitters Employes' Union. Regiiiered undei the ComDionweallh ConcJIution aod Arbibstun TRADES HALL, MELBOURNE, VICTORIA. H. E. FOSTER, Gancral Secrelur SecTBidTv^ -branch I liereby notify you that I ceased workaig for The Australian Plumbers and Gasfitters Employes' Union. Rc^uered uader the Comnonwemlth Concilutitni •ad Arbibatioo Head OrRee: TRADES HALL, MELBOURNE, VICTORIA. H. E. F05TCR. Caaa->1 Sccretan-- Secretary, - Please tales itottce lliat I have started work /» -ajid am now wufmployed. Catd No.— Branch of Trade... NOTE. — Exemption from payment of duei ^will not b« grajited DnleM thUcu-d ia forwarded to^theSecretwtyol your branch immediately you are unemployML Card No Branch of Trade NOTE.— This Card ahould be fiUed i Branch Secretur within 4S hos The two forms used, viz., those for reporting cessation and starting of wprk, are printed on cards of different colours, and on return to the secretary are filed in pairs. The number of days of unemployment in each case can readily be obtained and the necessary tabulations per- formed with facility and economy. Digitized by Microsoft© SECTION IV.— CHANGES IN RATES OF WAGES. 1. General. — Arrangements have been made for records to be kept from the commencement of the year 1913 of all changes in rates of Tf^ges and hours of labour, and the number of workers to which these apply, as well as of the methods by which such changes were brought about. Kesults will be systematically furnished by using the method of index-numbers, which will be computed for different groups of industries and for different localities. By way of preliminary to the publication of the results of these current investigations, inquiries have been made with a view to shewing the general course of, and fluctuation in, wages since the year 1891. The data were mainly collected on the forms already referred to (see specimen in Appendix I.), from the secretaries of trade unions, and refer generally to the "union" rate of wages. In some cases returns were also received fiom certain Government departments (e.g., as to wages of railway employees). The returns furnished by trade union secretaries were carefully examined on receipt and were checked, where possible, by reference to awards of in- dustrial courts and determinations of wages boards ; in case of any ap- parent discrepancy or anomaly, they were referred back for further in- vestigation, generally through the labour agents and correspondents of the Bureau. In some cases the particulars received from the trade unions were supplemented by returns compiled from information given in official reports of State departments. It may be mentioned, however, that the particulars given in such reports and other official documents are, for most of the States, meagre and unsatisfactory, and that owing to certain limitations in the methods of compilation and presentation, such data as are given are not generally suitable to form the basis of a comprehensive investigation, such as is now attempted. Hence the necessity arose for collecting most of the data de novo. 2. Methods of Compilation and Weighting. — After being checked, the returns were tabulated for each State and each class of industry and an arithmetic average wage was computed for each year, State and class. Owing to the difficulty in_ obtaining any satisfactory data as to the number of persons engaged in each of the occupations for which the wages were specified, no detailed system of weights could be applied;* arithmetic averages were therefore taken. In the com- putation of the final results, however, a careful system of weighting was adopted. Eor example, in computing the results for each State in any year the average wage in each industry was multiplied by a number (weight) representing the relative number of persons engaged • Though a great deal of information aa to the number of persons engaged in different industeies and oocunations is avaUable from the Census results, it was found impracticable to bring the classifloa- Kon of these results into line with the detailed classification of occupations m the trade union returns of wages. Digitized by Microsoft® 24 Changes in Kates of Wages. in tliat industry in the particular State. The sum of the products thus obtained, divided by the sum of the weights, represents the relative aggregate wage for the particular year and State. The whole question of weighting was referred to in some detail m Eeport 1^0. I. (Prices, Price Indexes and Cost of Ltving) of the labour and industrial branch of this Bureau. With the necessary verbal modifications, many of the statements there made and the problems there considered in regard to the subject of prices, etc., refer equally to the question of weighting in other investigations, such as the present. Any inquirer ' wishing to thoroughly understand the subject may refer to. that report. 3. Variations of Wage Index Numbers in Various Industries 1891 to 1913. —The total number of different occupations for which particulars as to wages are available, back to 1891, is 652. These wages relate generally to union rates, but in a few cases, more especially for the earlier years, when there were no union rates fixed, predominant or most frequent rates have been taken. The 652 occupations have been distributed over the fourteen industrial group? already specified and index-numlbers computed for each group for the whole Commonwealth. Wage index-numbers for similar in- dustry groups in each Stale are not published, since the data for the various occupations included were not sufiieiently extensive or uniform to furnish fully comparable results. The wages refer generally to the capital town of each State, but in industries such as mining and agri- culture, the rates in the more important industrial centres have been taken. The following table shews wage index-numbers for the whole Com- monwealth in each of the fourteen industrial groups during the years specified, wages in the year 1911 being taken as the base (= 1000). Rates of wages for females are not included. • The weights used in the computation of the wage index-numbeis were as follows : — Wage Index-Numbers, Weights used for each Industrial Group*. Particulars. I. n. III. IV. V. VI. vn. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. XXV. N.S.W. 136 228 199 84 65 162 252 343 187 74 137 704 134 902 Vic. 11H 195 160 9b 58 141 190 157 136 54 65 455 95 734 Q'land 67 62 108 23 20 34 7U 133 73 22 45 352 45 302 S.A. 24 71 45 16 13 40 68 29 48 17 44 182 24 223 W.A. 65 36 32 7 8 16 32 142 40 9 32 118 31 158 Tas. 25 14 17 6 b 7 20 49 10 6 12 104 10 80 C'wlth . . 435 606 561 231 169 400 632 853 494 182 335 1,915 339 2,399 • As to classification in industrial groups, see page 6. Digitized by Microsoft® Changes in Rates of Wages. Variations in Wage Index-Numbers in different Industries in the Common- wealth, 1891 to 1912. (Wages in 1911 = 1,000.) Particulars. 1891. 1896. 1901. 1906. 1907. 1908. 1909. 1910. 1911. 1912. I. Wood, rurniture, etc. . . 27 909 835 906 910 932 934 938 975 1,000 1,017 II. Engineering, Metal Work, etc. 101 875 873 888 900 913 930 935 946 1,000 1,038 III. Food, Drink, etc. . . " 34 751 747 878 895 910 913 922 936 1,000 1,047 IV. Clothing, Hats,Boots, etc. 13 730 725 722 857 872 884 953 995 1,000 1,009 V. Books, Printing, etc. . . 25 907 850 866 872 879 888 931 959 1,000 1,034 VI. Other Manufacturing . . 102 892 861 895 894 893 903 911 935 1,000 1,023 VII. Building 67 813 764 866 883 911 919 932 959 1,000 1,027 VIII. Mining, Quarries, etc.' ' 71 919 880 893 915 935 934 938 978 1,000 1,018 IX. Railway Services, etc. 68 892 894 918 920 923 927 956 965 1,000 1,046 X. Other Land Transport 9 848 772 874 874 893 919 919 977 1,000 1,091 XI. Shipping, etc 74 856 773 862 894 904 904 983 984 1,000 1,082 XII. Agriculture, etc. 8 810 779 747 800 870 877 938 951 1,000 1,125 XIII. Domestic, Hotels, etc. 17 723 671 674 683 686 706 819 838 1,000 1,008 XIV. Miscellaneous . . 36 832 812 817 830 875 883 908 957 1,000 1,093 All Groups* 652 848 816 848 866 893 900 i9Z^'i-955 1,000 1,061 * Weighted Average ; see graph in par. 2, Section VIII. hereof. NOTE. — The figures in the above table are comparable hori- zontally, iuL are not directly comparable vertically. This is evident from, the fact that the average wage in each industry group {and for all groups) in 1911 is made equal to 1000. The above figures (for all groups combined) are sbewn in the graph in paragraph 2 of the last section of this report. It may be seen that the index-numbers increase during the whole period under review except in 1896, when there was a fall. The wage index-number increased from 848 in 1891 to 1000 in 1911, and 1051 in 1912. It will be observed that the increase from 1891 to 1911 was relatively greatest in Classes XIII. (Domestic, Hotels, etc.), IV. (Clothing, Hats, Boots, etc.), and III. (Food, Drink, Tobacco, etc.), and it is probably in the industries and occupations included in these groups that "sweating" was most prevalent. The relative increase is least in Class VIII. (Mining, Quarries, etc.), the index-number for that group having in- creased only from 949 in 1891 to 1000 in 1911 and 1018 in 1912. The index-numbers given in the above table are readily reversible, that is to say any year, other than the year 1911, can be taken as base. Tor example, in Class I. (Wood, Furniture, etc.), if it be desired to ascertain the relative wages compared with, say, £1 in 1891, the index- numbers throughout must be divided by 909 (the index-number in the year to be taken as base). This gives the index-number for 1901 = 193. lid. (90%o9), for 1911 = £1 2s. Od, ("oo/g^g)^ and for 1912 = £1 2s. 6d. (i^i^og). Again, for all groups combined, for every £1 payable on the average in 1901, the amount in 1911 was £1 33. 7d. (io«?/848), and in 1912 was £1 4s. 9d. (^^^Vsis)- In this manner, computing the amount of wages payable in 1901, 1911 and 1912 corresponding to £1 in 1891, the following results are obtained : — Digitized by Microsoft® 26 Changes in Rates of Wages. Average Relative Amount of Wages payable in each Industrial Group in 1901, 1911 and 1918, compared with £1 payable on the Average in 1891. Nominal Eates of STominal B.ate3 of Industrial Wages In — Industrial Group. Wages In — Groups:- 1891. 1901. 1911. 1912. 1891. 1901. 1911. 1912. 3. d. 8. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. 8. d. 8. d. I. Wood, etc. 20 19 11 22 22 5 IX. KaUways, etc. 20 20 7 22 5 23 5 11. Engineering, etc. 20 20 i 22 10 23 9 X. Other Land,eto. 20 20 7 23 7 25 8 III. Food, etc. 20 23 5 26 8 27 11 XI. Shipping, etc. 20 20 2 23 4 25 3 IV. Clotliing, etc. . . 20 19 9 27 5 27 8 XII. Agriculture, etc. 20 18 5 24 8 27 9 V. Boolcs, etc. 20 19 1 22 1 22 10 XIII. Hotels, etc. . . 20 18 8 27 8 27 11 V. Other Manufac- XIV. Misoellanons . . 20 19 8 24 26 3 tures 20 20 1 22 5 22 11 VII. Building 20 21 4 24 7 25 3 All Groups* . . 20 20 23 7 24 9 VIII. Mining, etc. . . 20 QI 18 10 21 1 21 5 • Weighted Average. A OTE. — For reasons already indicated the above figures are com- parable horizontally (from year to year), but are not directly com- parable vertically. The above fitrures shew that for all groups combined for every £1, payable on the average according to rates of wages prevailing in 1891, the same amount was payable in 1901, while the amounts payable in 1911 and 1912 were 23s 7d. and 24s. 9d. respectively. The greatest relative increase, as between 1891 and 1912, occurred in Groups III. and XIII. and the smallest in Group VIII. 4. Variations in Wage Index -Numbers in Different States 1891 to 1912. — The following table shews the progress in rates of wages for all industries in each State, wages in 1911 being taken as the base {= 1000). These results are based generally upon rates of wages prevailing in the capital town of each State, but in certain industries, such as mining, rates are necessarily taken for places other than the capital towns. Variations in Wage Index-Numbers in different States, 1891 to 1912. (Wages in 1911 = 1,000.) Particulars. No. of Occupa- tions included. 1891., 1896. 1901. 1906. 1907. 1908. 1909. 1910. 1911. 1912. New South Wales Victoria Queensland South Australia Western Australia Tasmania 158 150 87 3 34 69 54 858 ' 819 801 768 910 874 801 1 803 887 908 939 ^ 854 855 808 903 809 913 899 883 819 911 821 914 937 907 870 916 847 914 906 910 884 927 857 921 906 939 900 948 893 927 916 865 ^38 962 939 969 966 1.000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,055 1,054 1,013 1.035 1,034 1,168 Commonwealth* 652 848 816 848 866 893 900 923 956 1,000 1,051 • Weighted Average ; see graph in par. 2, Section VIII. hereof. NOTE. — The figures in the above table are comparable hori- zontally, but arc not directly comparable in the vertical columns. This is evident when it is considered that wages in each State in 1911 are taken equal to 1000. Digitized by Microsoft® Changes in Rates op Wages. 27 The above table shews that the relative increase from 1891 to 1911 was greatest in Victoria and South Australia, and least in Tasmania, but in the last named State there was a remarkable increase, amounting to nearly 17 per cent., in 1912. This is, no doubt, accounted for to a large extent by the fact that the wages board system was first adopted in Tasmania in that year. The index-numbers are reversible, and, as an illustration, the fol- lowing results have been computed in the manner indicated in the pre- ceding paragraph. Average Amount of -Wages Payable in each State in 1901, 1911, and 1912, compared with £1 payable on the average in 1891. Year. N.S.W. Vic. Q'land. S.A. W.A. Tas. C'wlth.* 1891 1901 1911 1912 s, d. 20 19 11 23 4 24 7 s. d. 20 20 2 25 26 4 s. d. 20 19 10 22 22 2 s. a. 20 20 2 25 25 10 s. d. 20 20 7 22 6 23 4 .s. d. 20 19 2 21 4 24 2 s. d. 20 20 23 7 24 9 * Weighted Average. NOTE. — For reasons already indicated, the above figures are directly comparable ve.Hically but not horizontally. It may be seen that the relative increase as between 1891 and 1912 was greatest in Victoria, where it amounted to 6s. 4d. per £1, or 31.7 per cent. It was least in Queensland, where it was 2s. 2d. per £l, or 10.8 per ceat. Digitized by Microsoft® SECTION v.— CURRENT RATES OF WAGES IN DIFFERENT OCCUPATIONS AND STATES. 1. General. — The material presented in this section is designed to be supplementary to the wage index-numbers already given, and also to the periodic records which will be published con- cerning changes in rates of wages throughout the Common- wealth. The particulars given refer only to time rates of wages payable to journeymen or adult workers, the question of piece rates not having, for the present, been fully investigated. The greater part of the preliminary data was obtained from trade unions towards the close of the year 1912 on the forms already alluded to (see Appendix I.), the rates furnished being those recognised by the trade unions concerned for a full week's work exclusive of overtime. Since the occupations for which rates are given include mainly those trades in which the employees are organised, the rates specified have in most cases been fixed by industrial tribunals, the union rate being generally the same as the minimum rate so fixed. Particulars are, however, included for a number of industries in which the employees are either not organised at all or are not organised in aU the States. In such cases either the predominant or union rates are specified where possible. 2. Comparative Table of Time Rates of Wages, 1913.— The information furnished by trade unions has been carefully checked and brought up to date by reference to aivards of arbitration courts, de- terminations of wages bo£(rds and industrial agreements. A great deal of detailed information as to rates of wages in the individual States has been published from time to time, but an attempt is here made to coordinate that information, in so far as the more important occupations are concerned, in one comprehensive statement. Owing to the dis- similarity in the multitudinous classification of work and occupations in many of the corresponding determinations and awards in the several States, considerable difficulty was in some cases experienced in coordinat- ing the results. It will be seen that for convenience of comparison the wages are in nearly all cases' presented as a weekly rate, though in many industries they are actually based on daily or hourly rates, as specified in awards, determinations or agreements. This caution is necessary, in view of the fact that it is often in those industries and occupations in which employment is of an exceptionally casual or intermittent nature that wages are fixed or paid at a daily or hourly rate. Hence the average weekly earnings in such occupations will probaJbly fall considerably short of the weekly rates specified in the table. The rates specified refer generally to the capital town of each State, but in industries, such as mining and agriculture, rates are necessarily taken for places other than the capital towns. The figures given relate to journeymen or adult workers, and represent {except where other- wise specified in the footnotes) the amounts payable for a full week's work of 48 hours. In every case where the hours of labour constituting a full week's work are other than 48, the number of hours is indicated in the footnotes. Occupations of females are printed in italics. Digitized by Microsoft® CtTRRENT Rates of Wagjis, etc. 29 Weekly Rates of Wages of Journeymen or Adult Workers in the Capital Town of each State, 191S* for a full Week's Work. NOTE. — Occupations of Females are printed in Italics. Except where otherwise specified in the footnotes, tJie hours of labour constitvting a fuU week's work are forty- eight. GrOTJP I. ^WOOD, FtTRNITURB, SawMILL AND TIMBER WORES. Occupations. Sydney. Melb. Brisbane Adelaide. Perth. Hobart. s. d. 5. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. ,s-, d. Coopers 66 to 62 66 66 80 60 Furniture, including Mattress and 74 " u Picture Frame. Bedding Makers 60 57 151 4 54 60 48 Cabinet Makers 64 60 160 6 56 69 57 Carpet Planner 76 65 Carpet Layer 64 60 Chair Makers 64 60 160 6 56"'o 69 57 "0 French Polishers 64 60 156 10 56 66 57 Persons operating Boult's Carver 63 66 160 6 61 6 75 Upholsterers 64 60 156 10 56 66 57 Wood Machinists . . 54 etc 51 Dto 147 8 to 36 60 Oto 54 Oto 63 63 160 6 66 57 Uattress Makers. Finishers . . 55 153 2 48 48 Makers 60 ' 58 '53 2 62 66' 48 Vamishers 55 147 8 43 48' Picture Frame. Compo Workers . . 52 45 Fitters-up 50 48 General Hands . . 48 48 Gilders 60 50 Joiners 60 50 Mount Cutters 60 50 Females . . 125 2 22 6 Timber Yard Workers. Labourers 46 48 48 48 54 43 6 Moulding Machinists 56 56 6i- 57 6 60 Oto 66 50 Ordermen 52 6 54 52 54 57 6 48 Planing Machinists 54 57 56 49 6 66 60 Pullers or Tailers Out 46 48 48 0& 52 45 & 51 57 46^ 6 Saw Doctors 72 72 70 69 72 66 Saw Sharpeners 60 60 60 60 60 48 54 Wood Turners 63 60 62 57 72 • The rates speoifled are in most cases the minimum rates payable in the capital towjis to journeymen or adult workers under Awards o( Commonwealth or State Arbitration Courts, or under Determinations of Wages Boards. Bates payable in the mining, shipping, agri- cultural, pastoral, etc., industries do not, of course, ordinarily refer to the capital towns. (1) 44 hours per week. (2) 45 hours per week. Digitized by Microsoft® 30 Current Rates of Wages, etc. Group II. — Engineering, Metal Works, etc.* Occupations, Sydney. Melb. Brisbane Adelaide . Perth. Hobart. s. d. s. d. n. d. s. d. «. <'. s. d. Agricultural Implement Makers Assemblers . . 48 48 Blacksmiths . . 60 60 Drillers 48 48 1 Engine Drivers 55 54 1 Fitters and Turners 60 60 Labourers 45 45 Painters (Liners and Scroll j Work) 60 60 Pattern Makers 66 66 Sheet Iron Workers 54 54 Strikers 48 48 Wood Machinists . . 57 48 Bedstead Makers. Chill Fitters 60 58 56 Chippers 51 49 43 Electroplaters 60 68 63 Fitters-up 51 54 51 '_'_ Frame Setters 57 6 56 54 Japanners and Others 50 48 43 Lacquerers . . 55 51 48 Polishers (Brass and Plate) . . 52 6 57 48 Boiler Makers . . 66 66 166 72 72 60 Cycle and Motor Cycle Makers. Assemblers . . 48 45 Cleaners 48 48 Enamellers . . 52 49 Filers 45 45 Frame Builders or Braziers 52 50 Repairers 52 48 Wheel Builders 45 45 Electrical Trades. 1 Fitters 66 63 66 66 72 63 Lamp Attendants . . 51 54 48 48 Mechanics . . 57 63 60 60 72 57 Wireinen 51 51 50 51 60 51 Engineers. Blacksmiths 72 66 '66 69 78 60 Borers and Slotters 60 60 '60 60 & 66 66 60 Brass Finishers 62 54 66 60 72 51 Coppersmiths 72 66 66 69 78 60 Dril ers 50 48 58 51 & 58 60 60 Fitters 70 66 ' 66 69 72 60 Millers 60 60 = 60 66 &0 69 66 60 Pattern Makers 74 72 J 68 69 81 60 Planers 60 60 ' 60 60 66 60 Shapers 60 54 &> 60 60 60 66 60 Turners 70 66 1 66 69 72 60 See footnote • on page 29, also note re houra of labour at head of that paee (1) 44 hours per weels. Digitized by Microsoft® Current Rates of Wages, etc. GRotJP II. — Ekqinbbbikq, etc. — (Continued).* 31 Occupations. Farriers. Floormen Shoeingsmiths Iron Moulders. Core Makers Furnacemen Labourers Machine Moulders Irra Workers' Assistants. Boilermakers' Helpers Engineers' Labourers Labourers Smiths' Strikers Sheet Metal Workers. Canister Makers Machinists . . Solderers Tinsmiths Sydney. s. d. 60 66 66 60 48 62 48 48 46 48 48 60 Melb. Brisbane Adelaide. 50 57 6 56 & 68 54 48 56 50 46 6 48 48 45 & 54 50 45 & 53 50 53 57 45 45 166 148 142 160 144 140 140 144 46 46 48 54 54 60 66 58 51 60 48 48 48 48 50 50 50 52 Perth. 60 66 69 & 72 60 ri 66 45 & 54 45 & 54 45 to 54 48 & 54 57 65 Hobart. 40 45 60 42 42 60 48 42 42 48 48 54 Group III. — ^Food, Drink, Tobacco, etc. Aerated Water Makers. Adult Workers . ; 52 50 34 6 1048 54 O 42 Carters — 1 Horse . . . 250 =45 *45 H8 55 42 „ 2 Horses . . . 255 '50 ^50 650 55 47 Bakers. Carters . >52 6 '48 447 6 H8 K>G «42 Daymen . I 60 60 60 60 63 47 6 Jobbers (per hour) ■ 1 6 1 6 1 6 I 3 1 6 1 3 Single Hands ; 65 65 60 65 & 60 t8 60 Brewers. Bottle Packers 1 52 54 48 54 54 48 Bottlers and Washers 52 54 48 54 56 48 Cellarmen 54 54 48 54 CO 48 Maltsters (Malt Hands) . 54 54 42 57 60 48 Towermen 56 54 48 54 60 48 Butchers. ' General Hands »54 i»52 552 6 855 i»60 42 Salters »65 i»52 555 655 |i»60 42 Shopmen 955 to i»60 552 6 to «60 ;i«6o 51 65 65 Slaughtermen 80 70 65 toO 7n '^ 60 70 52 6 Small Goodsmeii 965 i»60 «60 «60 i»GO 51 Carters »45 845 545 0& 48 i»50 0&;H2 1 50 60 1 • See footnote • on page 29, also note re hours of labour at head of that page. (1) 44 hours per week. (2) 55 hours per week. (8) 46 hours (winter), 58 hours (summer) per week. (4) 58 hours (winter), 60 hours (summer) per week. (5) 52J hours (winter), 54* hours (summer) per week. (6) 54 hours per week. (7) 60 hours per week. (8) 58 hours per week. (9) 56 hours per week. (10) 52 hours per week. Digitized by Microsoft® 32 Current Rates of Wages, etc. Group III. — Food, Drink, etc. — Continued* Occupations. Cold Storage. Chamber Hands Ice Pullers and Stackers . . Confectioners. Chocolate Dippers . ■ Hoad Storemen Labourers Storemen Sugar, Glucose, Gelatine, Gum, Liquorice, and Chocolate Hands Ham and Bacon Curers. First Hand Sealders Slaughtermen Smokers < . Jam and Preserve Workers. Males Solderers Fermles Sydney. Melb. Brisbane 54 48 22 55 45 45 00 80 57 6 75 57 6 51 50 20 60 56 22 50 42 42 54 65 57 6 65 48 48 48 23 & 30 Milk Carters 146 ^^45 Millers Engine Drivers Millers Packermen . . Storemen Pastrycooks. First Hand . . Second Hand Tinned Meat Workers. Jokermen and Cappers Lacquer Hands Packers Scald Hands Seamers Table Hands, Fillers c& Podgers 52 6 60 48 48 60 60 60 48 48 60 45 48 55 48 48 56 50 s. d. CO 48 44 9 44 9 46 8 65 56 65 57 6 48 50 20 345 Adelaide. 8. d. 20 50 48 45 54 45 48 21 •48 60 Perth. d. «e5 »55 63 6 51 6 57 6 72 6 51 6 60 48 48 60 60 50 50 60 65 54 70 54 Hobart. •56 55 68 45 to 54 51 65 60 45 57 6 52 6 55 52 6 42 45 20 0& 24 542 47 6 & 60 52 6 42 50 60 47 6 Group IV. — Clothing, Hats, Boots, etc. Bootmakers. Bootmakers Bootmakers Dressmakers 54 54 52 54 54 25 6 25 6 & 32 6 21 20 32 21 6 22 16 52 22 6 20 • See footnote • on page 29, also note re hours of labour at head of that page. (1) 70 hours per weet. (2) 56 hpuis (winter), 60 hours (summer) per weelL (3) 58 hours (winter), 60 hours (summer) per weels. (4) 60 hours per week. (5) 56 hours per weelc. (6) 54 hours per weel£. Digitized by Microsoft® Current Rates of Wages, etc. 33 GRoiir IV. — Clothing, etc. — {Continued).* Occupations. Sydney. Melb. Brisbane Adelaide. Perth. Hobart. Hatters. s. d. s. d. s. rf. s. d. s. d. «. Felt Hatters 70 65 t Straw, Blockers »55 7 43 Finishers '25 18 Machinists . . '30 32 6 Stiffeners 155 7 43 Milliners. Shirt Makers . . 22 6 22 6 22 5 19 8 16"6 16 15 15 Tailors. Machinists . . 28 22 6 to 25 6 24 20 40 0& 45 t Pressors 60 55 50 55 60 Tailors . . . . [[ 55 60 50 60 70 Tailoresses . . 26 & 22 6 to 22 6 & 20 35 0& 32 6 26 24 45 Textile Workers. Dye-house Worisers 45 6 42 Foremen 65 60 General Labourers . 45 42 Pattern Weavers 48 54 Scourers 45 42 Spinners 45 42 Turners 56 52 Warpers — Female . 30 28 Male . 45 42 Weavers — Female . 30 30 WiUy-house LaboiMers 45 42 Grou p V.- -Bo OKS, Pk INTING, Bind ING , ETC Bookbinders. Bookbinders Feeders, Sewers Paper Rulers Engravers — Process. Halftone Etchers Line Etchers Operators Printers Routers Lithographers. Printers Rotary Machinists . . Printers — Daily Newspapers. Compositors — Day Night Linotype Operators — ^Day Night Machinists — 1st Hand — ^Day Night Publishers Readers — ^Day Night Stereotypers (1st Class), Day Night 62 6 58 56 56 65 23 & 21 & 18 6 18 & 25 23 22 62 6 58 56 56 65 "63 70 *56 65 263 65 256 50 245 55 62 6 60 60 58 67 6 67 6 60 56 63 Oto 373 6 'T3 4 76 67 6 76 80 Oto 377 *73 4 5 80 580 88 t t *84 72 = 80 t t «84 t 390 70 '69 '65 70 65 80 477 <65 70 «65 52 & 6 *46&0 *50 48 to 73 6 72 90 57 * See footnote * on page 29, also NOTE re hours of laboui- at head of that page, t The rates specifled are representative of the rates ruling in the chief mining districts throughout each State. There is no coal mining in South Austiaha. (1) 44 hours per week. Digitized by Microsoft® Current Rates of Wages, etc. S7 Group VIII.— Mining— Continued).* Occupationn. Sydney. Melb. Brisbane Adelaide. Perth. Hobart. Coal Mines— (Oo«W.) s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. Engine Drivers — Winding . . 66 60 66 72 Otc 50 Oto Other 54 Oto 54 54 Oto 80 57 40 to Labourers 60 48 45 & 66 45 61 6 48 39 Oto Maohinemen t 49 63 60 81 6 to 45 Miners t t t t t 92 6 83 6 to 48 Oto Platmen or Banksmen 50 Oto 49 48 87 6 68 6 60 36 Oto Shaft Sinkers 60 66 60 0& 66 45 Shiftmen 54 6 to 70 60 83 6 42 Oto 51 Shot Firers 54 Oto 67 6 63 Shovellers 48 48 48 72 6 Timbermen . . 60 60 Wheelers 48 d to 54 6 50 48 70 6 to 78 6 36 Oto 42 Gold, Copper, Silver, etc.. Mines Battery Feeders 45 Oto 32 Oto 45 Oto 60 Oto 48 55 6 40 51 70 Bracemen 48 Oto 42 Oto 45 Oto 48 65 Oto 45 63 50 72 80 Engine Drivers — Stationary 54 0& 54 54 Oto 51 Oto 78 Oto 48 Oto 60 66 60 90 54 „ „ Winding 63 60 60 Oto 60 Oto 66 Oto 50 Oto 87 75 96 60 Firemen 54 45 54 48 Oto 54 60 Oto 72 45 Labourers 51 Oto 42 Oto 45 Oto 48 60 Oto 42 0& 57 50 69 72 45 Miners 57 Oto 48 Oto 54 Oto 55 70 Oto 45 Oto 66 54 78 90 51 ,, Machine . . 63 56 Oto 60 Oto 57 Oto 75 Oto 50 66 87 60 90 Wet 72 56 6 to 66 50 Platmen 51 Oto 44 Oto 48 Oto 48 65 Oto 45 Oto 60 50 78 80 51 Shaft Sinking 59 & 54 Oto 60 Oto 70 Oto 50 ,0 66 62 87 93 Wet 72 56 6 to 66 55 Shift Bosses 60 Oto 56 Oto 90 Oto 60 Oto 72 66 120 75 Timbermen . . 63 Oto 52 Oto 60 Oto 60 72 Oto 50 Oto 72 60 87 90 56 * See tootuote t on preceding page ; also footnote * on page 29, and note re hours of labour at head of that page. f Piece Bates. Digitized by Microsoft® 38 CuBBENT Rates of Wages, etc. Gbotjp IX. — Railway and Tramway Services. * Occupations. Sydney. Melb. Brisbane Adelaide. Perth. Hobart. ». d. a. d. ». d. s. d. «. d. s. d. Railway Employees.* Engine Drivers (Loco.) 60 6 to 69 Oto 57 to 1 72 Oto 72 Oto 60 Oto 90 87 87 90 90 72 Firemen 54 Oto 48 Oto 45 Oto 54 Oto 54 to 45 Oto 60 57 60 66 66 54 Guards 51 Oto 48 Oto 49 6 to 51 Oto 60 Oto 48 Oto 66 72 84 69 75 72 Porters 48 Oto 4^ Oto 45 Oto 48 Oto 54 Oto 39 Oto 54 51 51 51 60 48 Shunters 51 Oto 48 Oto 48 Oto 51 Oto 57 Oto 48 Oto 72 66 72 57 75 57 Signalmen 54 Oto 51 Oto 48 Oto 51 Oto 54 Oto 45 Oto 78 .0 75 67 6 66 81 57 Tramway (Electric) Employeesf Car Washers or Cleaners . . 51 48 51 & 51 51 48 Oto ±57 48 Conductors . . 54 57 57 57 48 Oto 60 51 Firemen (four fires) 60 60 60 „ (less than four fires) 54 57 57 Horse Drivers 48 51 & 51 48 55 48 Labourers 45 & 48 48 51 & 48 48 48 0& 54 48 Lampmen, Trimmers 45 51 51 51 Maintenance men, Fettlers 48 48 51 & 54 54 48 Oto t58 48 Motormen 60 57 57 57 .48 Oto 60 57 Night Watchmen . . 48 48 48 48 50 Overhead Wiremen (Leading) 63 63 60 (Other) 54 57 0& 54 60 & 54 48 Pitmen 60 60 57 57 48 Oto J63 - •• Signalmen . . 60 Oto 66 60 60 60 Track Cleaners 45 48 51 & 51 51 48 to $58 48 Tower Wagon Drivers 50 & 48 & 48 0& 60 51 54 Trimmers or Fuel Men 48 1 51 51 48 Group X. — Other Land Transport. Caiiiers. One Horse . . ^50 H5 347 6 «48 50 ♦42 Two Horses ' 155 250 '52 '50 55 447 • The hours 6J labour lor Railway Employees are 48 per week (in N.S.W. 96 per fort- night), except in the following cases: — N.S.W. — Porters, 108 to 120 hours per fortnight; Vio- TOBIA — Porters, 48 to 60 hours per week; South Atjstralia^ — Porters and Signalmen, 48 to 57 hours per week ; and Tasmania — Guards and Shunters, 54, and Porters, 48 to 54 hours per week. Owing to the difference in the classification of grades of Eailway Employees in the various States, only minimum and maximum rates are quoted, excluding those for Fore- inen. t Tor New South Wales the Wages are determined by a State Award. For Vic- toria, Western Australia and Tasmania, agreements have been made under Commonwealth Arbitration Act. For Queensland and South Australia, Awards have been made by the Pommonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration. By Commonwealth agreements the wages for Gripmeri and Conductors in Melbourne have been fixed as follows — ^Conductors, 558. and 57b. per week; Gripmen, 55s. and 57s. per week. t The maximum rate applies to night work. (1) 56i hours per week. (2) 58 hours per week. (3) 58 hours (winter) 60 hours (summer) per week. (4) 54 hours per week. Digitized by Microsoft® Current Bates of Wages, etc. Group XI. — Shipping, Wharf Labour, Eto.|| 39 OccupatiOM. Sydney. Melb. Brisbane Adelaide. Pertli. Hobart. Marine Rngineers.* «. d. s. d. s. d. Lowest Class. s. d. s. d. s. d. Highest Class. Under 100 N.H.P. 600 or more N.H.P. Chief . . per month s. 440 s. 680 Second 350 440 Third 310 360 Fourth . . " 300 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th ", 240 Interstate Interstate Passenger Vessels. Cargo Vessels. Lowest Highest Lowest Highest Class, 250 Class, over Glass, 250 Glass, over Merchant Service.t tonsiSsunder. 4,000 tons. tonsSunder. 4,000 tons. Masters 420«. 860«. 400s. 720s. Officers, Chief 300s. 400«. 280s. 260s. „ Second . , 240s. 340s. 240s. 300s. Third 280«. 360s. Fourth and Fifth 200«. 200s. Seamen. A.B.'s per month 160s. Boatswains . . ,, 180s. Donkeymen . . „ 220s. Firemen . . „ 200s. Greasers . . „ 200s. Trimmers . . „ 160s. Waterside Workers. Coal Lumpers per hour 1 7i 1 5 1 n 1 6 1 7 1 5 Wharf Labourers „ 1 6 1 5 1 5 1 5 1 6 1 5 Group XII.— Agricultural, Pastora L, Etc. Agricultural Workers, Etc. Fruit Harvesters Chaffcutters . . Minimum rates in the agricultural industries have not generally been fixed by industrial tribunals. The following particulars relate to weekly predominant or most frequent rates for adult workers. General farm hands, 20s. to 25s. J — Plough- men, 20s. to 30s. J; Harvesters, 30s. to 40s.; Milkers, 20s. J ; Threshers, 30s. to 40s. Is. per hour Is. to Is. i-^d. per hour. Gardeners. Gardeners „ Labourers General Nursery Hands Nursery LaboJirers . . Pastoral Workers.§ Shearers per 100 Shed Hands Cooks, per man per week 48 48 48 51 54 45 45 42 48 48 48 48 48 51 60 45 42 42 48 48 24 24 24 24 25 37 6t 37 6t 37 6t 37 6t: 46 Ot 4 4 4 4 16 48 42 48 42 24 37 6t 50 on • Minimum rates under the Commonwealth Award are classified according to nominal horse-power of vessel; the lowest and highest classes are here specified. t Minimiim rates under the Commonwealth Award are classified for Interstate vessels, and for vessels within a State according to tomiage ; the lowest and highest classes for Interstate passenger and cargo vessels are here given. § The rates specified for New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South AustraUa are the minimum rates under the Award of the Common,- wealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration ; for Western Australia and Tasmania the rates are those arranged under industrial agreements. t And found. K Per week., || See, footnote * on page 29, also note at head of that page. Digitized by Microsoft® 40 Current Rates of Wages, etc. Group XIII. — Domestic, Hotels, Etc. J Occupations. Sydney. Melb. Brisbaae Adelaide. Peith. Hobart. . -. ■■ — — s. (I. s. d. s. d. «. d. s. d. Hairdressers 155 0' 255 »55 255 = 60 Hotel, Restaurant Workers. BOiTTnOAids •20 0* *37 6 540 «65 20 Ot Barmen 130 0* 150 45 '50 0& «65 25 Oto 40 Billiard Markers 125 0* 142 6 '40 40 15 Oto 20 Ot 10 Oto 15 Ot Handy Men «20 0* 135 '37 6 25 Ot Housemaids «13 0* 430 '15 Ot 22 6t 11 Oto 15 Ot Laundresses 8 20 0* «35 '20 ot 25 Ot 15 Ot Porters '25 Oto 137 6 to '40 30 Ot 15 Oto 32 6* 42 6 20 Ot Group XIV.— Mis CELLANE 3US AND General Labour. Engine Drivers. Stationary 48 Oto 48 Oto 54 3 to 54 oto 54 Oto 45 Oto 66 66 66 66 72 60 Firemen — First Class 54 54 51 54 57 6 48 Second Class 51 48 48 48 48 45 Municipal Employees. Labourers 54 51 48 48 54 42 Street Sweepers (Scavengers) 51 54 6& 51 45 48 54 39 Shop Assistants. Boots — ^Males 952 6 950 955 957 6 45 Oto 55 237 6 Females »30 "27 6 930 9 27 6 20 Oto 30 M5 Drapers — Males 952 6 58 955 957 6 45 Oto 55 240 Females . . 930 30 930 9 27 6 20 Oto 30 n5 0te 20 Furniture 60 955 955 Oto 45 Oto 57 6 55 Grocers = 52 6 250 950 i»55 45 Oto 55 235 Hardware "60 955 955 Oto 45 Oto HO 57 6 55 Men's Clothing »52 6 60 955 957 6 45 Oto 55 Storemen, Packers, Etc. (Shops). Night Watchmen "50 "54 "40 "56 "50 !"40 Packers 351 35 50 oto 47 6 1 48 250 ; . . Storemen H8 40 Oto 47 6~: 48 250 250 50 1 ' ♦ When board not provided the rates are 10s. per week higher. f With board and lodging. t See footnote * on page 29, also noib re hours of labour at head of that page. § The determination fixing the rates tor hotel and restaurant workers has been quashed. (1) 58 hours per week. (2) 52 hours per week. (3) 53 hours per week. (4) 56 hours per week. (5) 55 hours per week. (6) 54 hours per week. (7) 60 hours per week. (8) 63 hours per week. (9) 50 hours per week. (10) 51 hours per week. (11) 72 hours per week. Digitized by Microsoft® Current Rates or Wages in Different Occupations and States. 41 3. Relative Wages and Wage Index -Numbers in Different w f ^® • ^^^ '^***®^' 1913.— The particulars given in the preceding table furnish the necessary data for the computation of relative wages m different industries and States. Index-numbers have been given in the preceding section of this report shewing variations in wages from year to year in individual States and industrial groups. These index- numbers, however, afford no information as to relative wages in different btates or industries, since the average wage in the year 1911 in each State or industry, as the case may be, is made equal to 1000, in order to shew separately the extent of the variations in individual States and industries. In the following tables the arithmetic average of the rates of wages given above has been computed for each industry and State, and these averages have been weighted in the manner indicated on pages 23 and 24. (i.) Weighted Average Rates of Wages Payable to Journeymen or Male Adult Workers in each State, 1913. — 'The following table shews for the year 1913 the weighted average weekly rate of wage payable to journeymen or male adult workers for a full week's work in each' State and the Commonwealth. These results, being based on the nominal rates given in the preceding table (omitting those for females), are subject to the qualifications and limitations expressed in paragraph 2 hereof. Taking the average for the whole Commonwealth as the base (= 1000), index-numlbers for each State are also shewn. The figures given in the following table are exclusive of any rates in Groups XI. (Shipping, etc.) and XII. (Agricultural, Pastoral, etc.), sufficient data for the satisfactory computation of an average in these two groups not being available. Weighted Average Nominal Weekly Rates of Wages payable to Journeymen or Male Adult Workers for a Full Week's Work, and Wage Index-Numbers in each State and Commonwealth, 1913. Particulars. N.S.W. Vic. Q'land. S.A. W.A. Tas. C'wth. Number of Oc- cupations in- 312 324 251 263 216 203 1,569 cluded Weighted Aver- age Weekly s. d. s. d. s. d. «. d. •v. d. s. d. .s. d. Rates of Wages 55 3 54 4 54 6 55 3 64 1 48 6 55 4* Index-Numbers 998 982 984 998 1,158 875 1,000* * Weighted Average. The results given in the above table must be taken subject to the qualifications (a) that they are based only on a limited number of rates of wages, and (b) that the list of occupations to which the wages refer are not by any means uniform in the several States. Any results, in order to be represeiitative for each State, must necessarily be subject to the latter qualification, inasmuch as the industrial occupations of the people are not by any means indentical in the several States. A Digitized by Microsoft® 42 CtTBBENT Rates of Wages in Different Occupations and States. completely satisfactory record of relative rates of wages in the several States can be obtained only by means of an industrial census. The above results are, however, based on wages in a considerable number of important industries, and serve to indicate on general lines with a con- siderable degree of precision the relative conditions in the several States. The results shew that (nominal) rates of wages are highest in "Wes- tern Australia, followed in the order named by "New South Wales and South Australia (equal), Queensland and Victoria (practically equal), and Tasmania. (ii.) Weighted Average Rates of Wages Payable to Journeymen or Male Adult Workers in each Industrial Group, 1913. — 'The following table gives similar particulars in regard to the several industrial groups •and to the weighted average for all groups combined. In computing the index-numbers the weighted average is taken as base (== 1000). The results are subject to similar qualifications as those expressed above and in paragraph 2 hereof. Weighted Average Weekly Rates of Wages payable to Tourneymen or Adult Male Workers for a full Week's Work, and Wage Index-Numbers in each Industrial Group, 1913. Weighted Aver- age Weekly Industrial Groups. No. of Rates Wage (for FuU Index-Numbers. Included. Week's Work). I. Wood, Furniture, etc. . . 124 s. d. 58 1,048 II. Engineering, Metal Works, etc. 235 56 6 1,021 III. Food, Drink, etc. 206 54 1 977 IV. Clothing, Boots, etc. . . 40 51 6 931 V. Books, Printing, etc. . . 121 65 6 1,183 VI. Other Manufacturing . . 341 55 3 998 VII. Building 139 62 10 1,135 VIII. Mining, Quarries, etc. . . 125 60 10 1,099 IX. Railways Services, etc. 115 55 11 1,010 X. Other Land Transport 12 47 3 854 XI. Shipping, etc.* XII. Agricultural, etc.* XIII. Hotels, etc 29 42 9 772 XIV. Miscellaneous 82 52 10 954 All Groupsf 1,569 55 4 1,000 * Insufficient data available for the satisfactory computation of an average. t Weighted Average, exclusive of Groups XI. and XII. The above figures shew that the highest average wage is that paid in Group V;, Printing, etc. (65s. 6d. per week, or 18.3 per cent, above the weighted average for all groups). The rates of wages range from 65s. 6d. per week down to 42s. 9d. per week, the lowest being in Group XIII., Hotels, etc., which is nearly 22 per cent, below the average for all groups. Digitized by Microsoft® Current Rates of Wages in Dippbrent Occupations and States. 43 4. Relative Amounts o£ Wages payable in the several States, 1891 to 1912. — In several of the tables given in the preceding section, shewing the course of wages in individual States or industrial groups over a series of years, attention is drawn to the fact that the results are not directly comparable either vertically or horizontally. The results given in paragraph 3 furnish the necessary supplementary data for the computation of tabular results which are fully coinparable both horizontally and vertically. The following table shews the average amount of nominal wages payable to journeymen or male adult workers in each State from 1891 to 1912, corresponding to £1 payable on the average in 1911 in the whole Commonwealth. Table shewing the Average Amount of (Nominal) Rates of Wages payable to Joomeymen or Male Adult Workers in each State, from 1891 to 1912, corresponding to £1 payable on the Average in the whole Commonwealth in 1911. Particulars. N.S.W. Vic. Q'land. S.A. W.A. Tas. C'wth. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. 1891 . . 17 1 15 8 18 7 16 3 20 10 14 9 16 11 1896 . 16 3 15 1 17 10 16 3 21 4 13 6 16 4 1901 17 15 10 18 5 16 5 21 6 14 2 17 1906 17 7 16 18 7 16 8 21 6 14 9 17 4 1907 18 17 18 8 17 2 21 6 14 3 17 10 1908 18 1 17 4 18 11 17 4 21 8 14 3 18 1909 18 8 17 8 19 4 18 1 21 10 14 5 18 5 1910 19 2 18 4 19 8 19 22 10 15 3 19 1 1911 19 10 19 7 20 5 20 3 23 6 15 9 *20 1912 21 20 8 20 8 21 24 4 18 5 21 * Basis ol table. The figures given in the above table are fully comparable with each other; thus it appears that for every £1 payable on the average in the Commonwealth in 1911, the amount payable in iN'ew South "Wales in 1891 was 17s. Id., or in Western Australia in the same year was 20s. lOd. It may be seen that in each of the years specified the rates payable were highest in Western Australia and lowest in Tas- mania. In each of the States of N'ew South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland the rates shew an increase in each of the years specified except in 1896, when there was a fall compared with 1891, In South Australia the average rate is the same in 1896 as in 1891, each of the subsequent years shewing an increase. In Western Australia the average rate remained constant in 1901, 1906, and 1907, with increases in each other year, while in Tasmania there was a decline in 1896 and again in 1907. The 'figures given in the vertical columns of the above table are,^ of course, relatively identical with those in the corresponding horizontal, lines in the table on page 26. Digitized by Microsoft® SECTION VI.— RETAIL PRICES, HOUSE RENTS, AND COST OF LIVING. 1. Introduction. — In Report No. 1, issued in December, 1912, the results of certain investigations into the subjects of Prices, Price-Indexes and Cost of Living in past years were published, and some account was given of the methods employed for the collection of the data and of the technique adopted in the computation of the results. An important discussion of the theory upon vyhich the calculation of the index-numbers is based was given, but being necessarily too technical for the ordinary reader, was relegated to Appendixes. It must here suffice to state that the method adopted for the com- putation of the index-numbers is what may very properly be called the "aggregate expenditure" method. The first process is, of course, to work out the average price of each commodity included, and numbers (called "mass-units") representing the relative extent to which each commodity was on the average used or consumed are then computed. The price in any year of each commodity multiplied by its correspond- ing "mass-unit"/'represents, therefore, the relative total expenditure on that commodity in that year on the basis of the adopted regimen. It follows, therefore, that by taking for any year the sum of the price of each commodity multiplied by its corresponding "mass-unit" a figure is obtained which represents the relative aggregate or total expenditure of the community in that year on all the commodities, etc., included. By computing these aggregate expenditures for a series of years and taking the expenditure in any desired year as "base," that is, making the expenditure in that year equal to 1000 units, the relative expenditure jn any other year, that is to say, the "index-numbers," are readily ascertained. As explained in the report, the mass-units, that is, the relative- extent to which each commodity is used or consumed, are taken as. being constant during the whole period under review. In order to clearly illustrate the method adopted it will be well to take a simple numerical example. Suppose that in 1901 the average price of butter was Is. 3d. per lb., of bread waa 3d. per 21b. loaf, of mutton was 3d. per lb., and of milk was 4d. per quart ; and suppose that in 1911 the prices of these four commodities were Is. 6d. for butter, 4d. for bread, 5d. for mutton, and 5d. for milk. Now the total quan- tities of each of these commodities consumed in Australia per annum are approximately 90 millifln lb. of butter, 470 million 21b. loaves of bread, 830 million Ik of mutton, and 300 million quarts of milk. Therefore, the actual expenditure of the people of Australia on these commodities in 1901 and 1911 respectively would be as follows : — Digitized by Microsoft® Retail Prices, House Rents, and Cosj; of Living. 45 Computation oi Index-Nambers : Illustrative Example of Aggregate Expenditure method. Particulars. Unit. Quantities Consumed (0,000.000 omitted). Prices. 1901. i 1911. Total Expenditures. i 1901. 1911. Butter lb. 9 d. 15 d. 18 rf. (0,000,000 omitted) i 135 d. (0,000,000 omitted) 162 Bread |21b. loaf 47 3 i 141 188 Mutton lb. 33 3 5 99 165 Milli quart 30 4 ''' 120 150 495 665 The relative aggregate expenditure was 495 in 1901, and rose to 665 in 1911; in other words, the index-number in 1901, taking the expenditure in 1911 as the base (= 1000) was 49%g5 X 1000 = 744, and the index-number in 1911, taking the expenditure in 1901 as the base (= 1000) was ^e^gg X 1000 == 1343, which might, of course, have been obtained directly by taking the reciprocal of the result pre- viously obtained. If now, instead of only four commodities, a repre- sentative group of fifty or more were treated in this way for a series of years, the numbers thus obtained would furnish a satisfactory index of the variations in price from year to year. In Report No. 1, particulars were given shewing the results of the investigation, including the first nine months of thq year 1912. In this report figures for the whole of that year are included. In the future it is intended to publish price index-numbers quarterly, with a more comprehensive report each year. 2. Scope of Investigation. — It was pointed out in Report No. 1 thai, in any investigation into the question of change in cost of living of a community, a careful distinction must be drawn betweem two things, viz. : — (a) Variations in the purchasing power of money, and (b) Variations in the standard of liviiig. The second element (b) can be limited, at any rate to some extent, by the exercise of self denial and thrift, and such limitation is at the disposal of each individual; the former (a) is not subject to this possi- bility. Thus, from this aspect, social economics are concerned primarily with an accurate estimation of variations in the purchasing power of money and only secondarily with the question of the general standard of living which has been reached. The first desideratum demands that \\o shall select a suitable list of commodities, the quantities of each being taken ia due proportion to their relative average consump- tion and, keeping this list with the quantities constant, ascertain what it costs to purchase the whole group. In this way we can compare the cost in different areas or districts at the same time, as well as the Tariation in any one place from time to time. This is the "aggregate expenditure" method explained above. Digitized by Microsoft® 46 Retail Prices, House Rents, and Cost of Living. Before any useful discussion can take place as to causes of change, it is evident tliat tlie cliange itself must be accurately measured. To determine such measurements is one of the appropriate functions of a statistical office; to assign causes may or may not be outside the scope of the work of such an office, according as the causes can be determined by statistical data or otherwise. Loose general ideas as to changes in purchasing power are of little value, and the object of a research into the question is to ascertain (a) what commodities should be in- cluded, (b) the relative quantities of each consumed, (c) the prices paid, and (d) the aggregate expenditures, i.e., what it costs to purchase the whole group. Having determined the variations in purchasing power, it is hoped to further investigate at an early date the question of change in standard of living from time to time by the collection of householders' budgets* and other means. As explained in Report No. 1, special steps were taken to conduct the investigation back as far as 1901 for the capital towns only. The collection of current monthly returns as to prices and of quarterly re- turns of house rents commenced in thirty of the more important towns of the Commonwealth in January, 1912. 3. Commodities and Requirements Included. — The 47 items of expenditure included have been divided into four groups, viz. — (a) groceries and bread, (b) dairy produce, (c) meat, and (d) house rent. The omission of clothing, fuel and light, travelling, amusements, etc., may on a superficial examination appear to limit the value of the results. Against this, reasons for which these items have been omitted were given in Report ITo. If, and it was explained that index-numbers based on these four groups satisfactorily reflect the general rise and fall in cost of living. It should, moreover, be pointed out that whereas the ex- penditure on the four groups included amounts to no less than 45 per cent, on the total expenditure, cost of clothing amounts to only 12 per cent., and of fuel and light to as little as 3 per cent. It follows therefore that before the index-numbers, based on the four groups, can cease to truly reflect variations in general purchasing value, changes in the price of clothing must have departed very widely, one way or the other, from the general change which has occurred. This ^applies still more forcibly, of course, to changes in price of fuel and light. Since prices of nearly all commodities generally move in the same direction, it is obvious that the validity of the index-numbers, based on the four groups referred to, can be vitiated only under a quite abnormal state of affairs, and even then only to a slight extent. The following tabular statement gives particulars of the com- modities and items included, the units of measurement for which prices are collected, and the mass-units shewing the relative extent to which each item is used or consumed. • See Report on an "Inquiry into the Cost of Living in Australia, 1910-11," by G. H. Knibbs C.M.G., etc., December, 1911. Owing to the small number oj budgets returned, the deductions and tabulations based thereon are necessarily restricted. t See " Prices, Price-Indexes and Cost ol Living in Australia," Labour and Industrial Branch Report No. 1, by G. H. Knibbs, C.M.G., r.S.S., etc., December, 1912, pp. 15 to 20. ■ Digitized by Microsoft® Retail Prices, House Rents, and Cost of Living. 47 RetaU Pcices. — Table shewing Commq^ties, eto., included in Investigation, Units of Measurement, and "Mass-Units." Commodity. Unit. "Mass Unit." Commodity. Unit. "Mass Unit." Group I. — Groceries (inoludino Bread). Group III. — ^Meat. 1. Bread . . 2 lb. loaf 468 26. Beef, sirloin lb. 67 2. Flour, ordinary 25 lb. bags 11 27. „ rib „ 82 3. Tea lb. 30 28. „ flank . . „ 12 4. Coffee . . 2 29. „ shin 14 5. Sugar . . 460 30. „ steak, rump . . „ 24 6. Rice . . 50 31. „ shoulder 53 7. Sago .. 8 32. „ buttock 11 53 8. Jam 73 33. „ corned round ,, 39 9. Oatmeal 35 34. „ brisket, with 10. Raisins 14 bone ,, 11 11. Currants 14 35. „ „ without 12. Starch .. 1 bone ,, 32 13. Blue . . doz. sqs. i 36. Mutton, leg „ 92 14. Candles lb. 16 37. „ shoulder . . jj 62 15. Soap 64 38. „ loin ,, 30 16. Potatoes 14' lbs. 64 39. „ neck ,, 40 17. Onions lb. 68 40. ,, chops, loin ,, 62 18. Kerosene gallon 17 41. ., leg ,, 15 42. „ „ neck „ 31 8 Group II. — ^Dairy Products. 43. 44. Pork, leg „ loin . . " 45. „ belly . . ,, 10 19. Milk . . quart 300 46. „ chops „ 8 20. Butter . . lb. dozen 95 16 18 21. Cheese . . 22. Eggs .. Group IV. — House Reni p. 23. Bacon, middles lb. 16 47. Hniiafi RfiTit per i^ 24. Bacon, shoulder 16 w'k. ' 25. Ham .. " 8 It may here be pointed out that both in the collection of the data a,nd computation of the results great care was exercised, and that there is reason to believe that the cost of living figures are based upon more extensive data than any which have been obtained in similar investiga- tions in other parts of the world. In order to give some idea of the thorough manner in which the work has been performed, it may be mentioned that with regard to the 46 commodities and house rents included in the cost of living inquiry, nearly 10,500 prices and quotations were received and tabulated for the 30 towns dealt with each month. This amounts to 126,000 per annum. The complete scheme in regard to cost of living provides for the collection and analysis of over 140,000 separate prices and quotations each year, but owing to the difficulty in getting in all the returns regularly it was necessary to provide for a larger number of returns than were actually required. "When it is understood that the cost of living inquiry goes back for the capital towns as far as 1901, and the wholesale price inquiry (80 commodities) as far as 1871, some idea- may be gathered as to the Digitized by Microsoft® 48 Retail Prices, House Bents, and Cost of Living. magnitude of the work involved. All the returns received were care- fully examined, and in cases where a%y price or quotation was incon- sistent or doubtful special inquiries were made from the person furnish- ing the return, thus affording guarantees of the accuracy of the tabulated results. It is believed, therefore, that a high degree of ficcuracy has been obtained in the present investigation, and it is evident that personal impressions or results not based upon an equally systematic and equally extensive inquiry cannot be allowed weight. 4. Variations in Cost of Living in each Metropolitan Town, 1901 to 1912 It is obvious that the variations in prices of commodities included in the food and groceries groups may be of a very different nature to movements in cost of housing accommodation, and for that reason index-numbers have beeia computed — firstly, for the first three groups (food and groceries) combined; secondly, for house rent; and thirdly, for all groups taken together. These index-numbers are shewn for the capital town of each State in the tables given hereinafter. In addition a weighted average index-number for all the capital towns com- bined has been computed by weighting the index-number for each town by a number representing its population. In each case the index- numbers have been computed with expenditure, according to average prices in the year 1911 as base, that is to say, the figures shevj the num- her of units which would have had to be expended, according to the average prices prevailing in each specified year, in order to purchase such commodities, or to pay such amounts for rent, as would, according to the average prices in 1911, have cost 1000 units. It should be observed that these index numbers do not in any way shew the relative purchasing power of money or cost of living as between the several capital towns ; they merely shew the relative cost from year to year in each town independently. In other words, comparisons can be made between the numbers in the horizontal lines, but cannot be made directly between those in the vertical columns. That they are not directly comparable vertically is immediately evident when it is re- membered that the expenditure in each town in 1911 (and the weighted average expenditure for all towns) is represented by the one figure — 1000 — though actually the expenditure is not, of course, the same in each town. The question of the relative cost in different towns in the Commonwealth is dealt with hereinafter. Index-numbers for food and groceries, and for rent, and for all groups and rent together, are given separately in the following para- graphs. (i.) Food and Groceries. — The results obtained from the three groups referred to above have been combined, so as to shew a weighted average for groceries and food. The results are of importance as shewing the aggregate effect on the cost of living of the movements in prices of commodities, apart from variations in house-rent. The index-numbers thus computed for the three groups are shown in the following table. Since they are reversible, the necessary calculations for any other year as base can readily be made (see paragraph (iv.) hereof). Digitized by Microsoft® Retail Prices, House Bents, and Cost of Living. 49 Retail Prices in Metropolitan Towns, Index-Numbers for Groceries and Food (Groups I., n. and HI.), 1901 to 1912. Town. 1901. 1902. 1903. 1904. 1905. 1906. 1907. 1908. 1909. 1910. 1911. 1912. Sydney 927 1,078 1,040 886 982 974 946 1,041 1,023 1,011 1,000 1,136 1,032 1,085 1,041 980 1,018 1,010 989 1,064 1,015 1,026 1,000 1,166 948 998 970 877 928 943 930 1,006 966 983 1,000 1,082 1,008 1,007 963 922 974 963 933 990 1,006 981 1,000 1,132 880 946 953 899 935 919 890 911 901 930 1,000 999 95,5 992 990 927 973 990 955 997 1,033 1,015 1,000 1,125 Weighted Average* 972 ; 1,056 1,019 924 986 980 955 1,031 1,006 1,005 1,000 1,129 * For all capital towns. ^OTE. — The above -figures are comparable horizontally, but are not directly comparable in the vertical columns. The index-numbers are reversible. The price indexes for groceries and food are shewn by the broken lines on the graphs on pages 50 and 51 in relation to the price-indexes for house rent alone, and to the weighted averages for all groups. It may be seen that there is considerable similarity between the graphs for Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, the price-level being high in 1902, 1908, and 1912, and low in 1904. The fluctuations are more markcid in Sydney than in either of the other two towns. In all the capital towns prices for groceries and food reached their maximum in 1912, and, reviewing the whole of the period, it may be seen that, broadly speaking, prices have tended to move upward. This upward tendency is most marked in Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane, and is least noticeable in Melbourne. On the pages referred to, graphs are also shewn separately for each of the groups I., II., and III. The actual index-numbers since 1901 for each group were given in Report 'So. 1, and are not repeated here. The following table, however, shews for each of these three groups the index-numbers for 1912, compared with 1911 as base (= 1000). Retail Prices in Metropolitan Towns, Index-Numbers for Groceries, Dairy Produce and Meat in 1912 compared with 1911 as base (= 1,000.) Particulars. Sydney. Melb. Brisbane. Adelaide. Perth. Hobart. Weighted Average. Price Indexes in 1911 Price Indexes in 1912 — I. Groceries II. Dairy Produce . . III. Meat Groups I., II., and III. combined 1,000 1,130 1.131 1,155 1,136 1,000 1,148 1,123 1,208 1,156 1,000 1,099 1,073 1,060 1,082 1,000 1,188 1,091 1,090 1,132 1,000 930 1,064 1,042 999 1,000 1,166 1,108 1,082 1,125 1,000 1,129 1,114 1,150 1,129 The increase in 1912 was greatest in Sydney and Melbourne in Group III. (Meat), amounting to over 15 and nearly 21 per cent, respectively. In the other towns, except Perth, the increase is most marked in Group I. (Groceries), amounting to over 18 per cent, in Ade- laide, and 16 per cent, in Hobart. Perth is the only town for which a fall was registered— viz., in Group I. In that town prices were steady during 1912, the net result for the three groups shewing a slight fall (999, as compared with 1000 for the previous year). Digitized by Microsoft® 50 Retail Prices, House Rents, and Cost of Living. RETAIL PRICES, HOUSE BENT, AND COST OF LIVING IN METROPOLITAN TOWNS- GRAPHS 1901 TO 1912. SYDNEY. MELBOURNE. UUJ ; / lUUll / s s / ^ ^ / Bln E». s yi_ lOOO — = = 1 1 _=^ — 1 — — / _.' _^^ ^ ^-p -«= — \ -=^ ^ ^ ^ — — — s V IU.I« UO L — — -1- \ — i» L — — i — ■ 1 — 1 IL = N / N n^ TI \ LiUJ J- ^ -ni: 1 — "■'■==. — '^^=: r — ~i~ — «"n" — — — — — 7 ' ^^ (^ lUU _Ot oopi ILu. m.. — - — ■■ — — — -&r^- TTZ ^- ■I "w 01 w IV 1 1 RETAIL PRICES, HOUSE RENT, AND COST OF LIVING IN METROPOLITAN TOWNS. GRAPHS 1901 TO 1912. BRISBANE. ADELAIDE. — '~~ — / / ^ ^ UH / ^ \- =— t '■ -,-e:. s..TFn>dD<». — B0( UK s ^ -^ ^ ^ ^ ^": OrnoDi - - — --- -- lOS a 19 u 1 19001 — ■~~ ""*■ ~" ~~" y IDOO ^ ^ / / ■ ' IM 7^ DBfc TTT ,^ '^ r«WM -,^ . _, __, ,,:^ — _ — ■ __ ^^ ___ -"— BmI cdI, -- 1 1 ^ Digitized by Microsoft® Retail Prices, House Rents, and Cost of Livino. 51 RETAIL PKICES, HOUSE BENT, AND COST OF LIVING IN METROPOLITAN TOWNS GRAPHF. 1901 TO 1912. UM ^ ■^ P SB PH Al vID PI lEl JAl >JT] DE =] —J 1000 — = — = It E = 2 s; = ^ zz z ^ ^ ^ S ^ ^ tzz — '~~ = uld ~ — — — ' — II s »00 — ■ tli— 7K /" 100( ^ ^ ^^ =■ *=:?: ^ —::z - — AH Or 'H rr— — 1 1 1 — ii J— 1 — , [ > 1 — 1 HOBART. uev ^ ^ N ^ s ^ 7B( 1000 ^ m y •761 laso , __ nrt 11. „ — — — *^ I>TB mil Hl£^ ^ II nm 19 01 w 1 The increase for the three groups combined was greatest in Mel-- bourne, followed, in the order named, by Sydney, Adelaide, Hobart and Brisbane. It is obvious, of course, that the conditions governing prices in Perth, where there was a small fall in price level, are in many respects very diiferent to those in the Eastern States. (ii.) House Rent. — In the following table index-numbers are given computed for the weighted average house rent in each of the capital towns from 1901 to 1912, taking the average rent in 1911 as the base (= 1000). The average rent has been obtained for each town separ- ately by multiplying the average predominant rent for each class of house (i.e., houses having less than 4 rooms, 4 rooms, 5 rooms, 6 rooms, 7 rooms, and over 7 rooms) by a number ("weight'^) representing the relative number of houses of that class in the particular town. The sum of the products thus obtained, divided by the sum of the weights, gives the weighted average for all houses.* The number of houses m each class for each town was obtained from the results of the 1911 Census It should be observed, therefore, that these index-numbers in that town, then the weighted average rent = where N = the total number of houses in the town. + 112 + »l3 + N Digitized by Microsoft® 52 Retail Prices, House Rents, and Cost of Living. are based on the weighted average rents for all bouses, and that tkey do not refer to any particular class of houses. The actual predominant rents for each class were given in an appendix to Eeport Wo. 1, and an examination of these figures shews that for some classes of houses the increase has been greater, and in some less, than the general increase indicated in the following table. House Rents in nietropolitan Towns, Index-Numbers shewing Weighted Average Rents (Group IV.), 1901 to 1912. Town. 1901. 1902. 1903. 1904. 1905. 1906. 1907. 1908. 1909. 1910. 1911. 1912. Sydney 792 792 794 797 818 822 840 851 880 910 1,000 1,085 Melbourne 756 767 771 788 795 806 829 854 868 945 1,000 1,047 Brisbane . . 637 641 660 662 676 683 750 803 862 912 1,000 1,048 Adelaide .. .)66 566 566 566 631 684 730 784 845 916 1,000 1,043 Perth 988 982 989 985 912 883 844 837 823 859 1,000 1,086 Hobart 829 831 836 838 846 852 880 904 931 964 1,000 1,030 Weighted .Average* 755 759 703 770 784 794 818 841 868 921 1,000 1,063 For all capital towns. NOTE. — The figures in the above table are comparable horizon- tally, but are not directly comparable in the vertical colu-rnns. The index- num,bers are reversible. The above figures are shewn on the graphs on pages 50 and 51, in relation to the combined price-indexes for the other groups, and for all groups together. It may be seen that, except i,n Adelaide, where rents remained constant from 1901 to 1903, and in Perth, where they de- creased from 1903 to 1907, and again in 1909, there has been a uniform increase in each metropolitan town during the whole of the period under review. The increase has been greater in Adelaide (where the average rent in 1901 was only 566, compared with 1000 in 1911, and 1051 in 1912), and in Brisbane than in the other towns. It should be observed, however, that at the commencement of the period rents were excep- tionally low in Adelaide, and were comparatively low in Brisbane (see Appendix IV. to Report I^o. 1). The graph for Perth presents features entirely different from those for the other towns ; the fall in rents commencing in 1903 and lasting until 1907 is followed, after another temporary decline in 1909, by a rapid rise. (iii.) Cost of hiring. — The weighted averages for all four groups are of importance, as indicating the general results of this investigation so far as cost of living is concerned. The following table shews the index-numbers for groceries, food, and house- rent for each metropolitan t«wn, computed to the year 1911 as base {= 1000) : — Digitized by Microsoft® Retail Prices, House Rents, and Cost of Living. 53 Cost ol Living in Metropolitan Towns, Index-Numbers shewing Weighted Average Results for all Groups (Groceries, Dairy Produce, Meat, and House Rent), 1901 to 1912. Town. 1901. 1902. 1903. 1904. 1905. 1906. 1907. 1908. 1909. 1910. 1911. 1912. Sydney 866 950 929 846 909 906 898 956 959 965 1,000 1,113 Melbourne 916 951 927 899 924 924 922 976 953 992 1,000 1,111 Brisbane . . 841 875 863 808 841 853 868 936 930 959 1,000 1,071 Adelaide .. 817 816 791 768 826 843 845 901 936 953 1,000 1,094 Berth 912 957 964 925 928 909 876 889 878 909 1,000 1,025 Hobart 911 937 941 897 929 942 929 965 998 997 1,000 1,092 Weighted Average* 880 929 910 858 901 902 897 951 948 970 1,000 1,101 * For all capital towns. NOTE. — The figures shewn in the above table are comparable hori- zontally, hut are not directly comparable in the vertical columns. The index-ivumbers are reversible. These figures are shewn separately for each town by the heavy line in the graphs on pages 50 and 51, in comparison with graphs shew- ing index-numhers for groceries and food, and for house-rents. In all the towns the graphs disclose a distinct upward movement during the period under review, the rise in 1912 being particularly marked. Grenerally speaking, prices were low in 1904, high in 1902 and 1908, and still higher in 1912. The general trend of the graph for Perth is different to that for the other towns, owing mainly to the decline in house-rents in that place, which occurred from 1903 to 190T, and again in 1909. The general result for all the six towns shews that cost of living was slightly over 10 per cent, higher in 1912 than in 1911. The amount of the increase was almost identical in Sydney and Melbourne, and in Ade- laide and Hobart. It was somewhat lower in Brisbane than in either of the four towns just referred to, and was least in Perth. (iv.) Reversibility of Index-numbers. — Attention has already been drawn to the fact that index-numbers computed by the aggregate expen- diture method adopted in this Report are really reversible, so that, if it be desired to ascertain the price-indexes with any year other than that shewn in the tables herein as base, the necessary arithmetical work can readily be performed. For example, turning to the above table, shewing index-num- bers for cost of living, if it be desired to ascertain the index-number for Sydney, with the year 3901 as base (1901 expenditure = 1000), the index-number for 1901 will, of course, be 1000 instead of 866, that for 1902 will be 950/ggg X 1000 = 1097, for 1903 will be 329/^^,^^ x 1000 =z 1073, for 1911 it will be ioo%66 X 1000 = 1155, and so on. Similarly in regard to all other index-numbers given in this Eeport, the figures may readily be reversed, so as to shew the relative expenditure with any desired year as base. 5. Relative Cost of Living in Different Towns, 1912.— The index-numbers given in the preceding paragraphs shew changes in the cost of living separately for each individual town during the years 1901 to 1912. The figures given in the table on page 55 shew the relative cost Digitized by Microsoft® 54 Retail Prices, House Rents, and Cost of Living of living in 1912 in the thirty towns, for wliich particulars are now being collected. The cost of living in each town is compared with the weighted average for all towns. That is to say, the average expenditure in each town has been weighted by a number representing the population of the town, and a weighted average expenditure for all towns has been com- puted. Taking this average expenditure as the base (= 1000), the relative expenditure in each town is shewn. Owing to the concentration of population in the 'capital towns, the prices and rents in these towns have a preponderating influence on the weighted average index-numbers for all towns combined. The first column of the table on page 55 shews the relative cost of groceries and food in the thirty towns specified. The second, third, fourth and fifth columns give similar information in regard to houses of 4, 5 and 6 rooms, and for all houses, respectively. The weighted average for all houses is obtained separately for each of the thirty towns by "weighting" the rent paid for each class of house by the number of houses in each respective class in each town. If houses of any par- ticular size only are included, different results may be obtained. This is evident when it is remembered that the distribution of houses according to number of rooms is substantially different in som^e of the towns ; that is to say, there are a greater number of large, and therefore of relatively more expensive houses, in some towns than in others, and mce versa, and consequently the weighted average rents in the former class of towns refer to a larger size of house than in the latter class. Separate results are, accordingly, given for the several classes of houses specified in the table. The figures in the last four columns furnish results for expendi- ture on groceries and food, combined with expenditure on rent, for each of the three classes of houses indicated, and also for the weighted average of all houses. (i.) Groceries and Food. — As regards groceries and foodj it may be seen that the most expensive towns are in Western Australia, where prices in Kalgoorlie and Boulder are highest. In the other States Broken Hill is the most expensive, followed, in the order named, by' Zeehan, Charters Towers, Queenstown, Beaconsfield, Port Pirie and Hobart. Prices were lowest in Mount G-ambier and Warrnambool. (ii.) House Rent. — The index-numbers in the fourth column shew that the most expensive town for house rent is Sydney, followed in the order named by Adelaide, Geraldton (W.A.), Melbourne, Goulburn, Geelong and Perth. Eents were cheapest in Beaconsfield and Zeehan. (iii.) Cost of Living. — The last column shews that in regard to cost of living generally (according to the prices and house rents pre- vailing in the year 1912), the most expensive towns were Kalgoorlie and Boulder, where the cost was 22.5 per cent, above the weighted average. The next towns in point of expense were Geraldton ("W.A.), Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and Fremantle, Midland Junction, Bunbury, Broken Hill and Melbourne. The least expensive towns were Beaconsfield Mount Gambler, Ballarat, Bathurst and Moonta (equal), and Bendigo^ in the order named. As regards the capital towns, it may be seen that Sydney was the most expensive, followed in the order named by Adelaide, Perth' Melbourne and Hobart, Brisbane being the cheapest. Digitized by Microsoft® Retail Prices, House Rents, and Cost or Living. 55 Cost Of laving, 1912. Index-Numbers shewing Relative Cost in each oJ Thirty Towns (including 4, 5, and 6-roomed Houses and all Houses), compared with Weighted Average Cost for all Towns. i House E.BNT. Geooimbs, Food, and Bent, Town. ■a INCLUDINO HOUSES HAVING— s 4-room'd S-room'd 6-rooni*d AU AU s Houses Houses Houses only. Houses 4 5 6 Houses. o only. only. Weighfd Average. Booms. Rooms. Eooms. Welght'd Average. N.S. Wales— Sydney NewcasUe 986 995 1,273 645 1,213 752 1,191 767 1,237 688 1,078 883 1,070 905 1,071 900 1,082 877 Broken Hill . Goulburu 1,186 990 831 616 838 843 814 861 679 904 1,073 871 1,058 936 J,031 936 991 967 Bathurst Victoria — 950 635 639 669 672 849 835 . 833 843 Melbourne 949 977 978 996 1,000 958 960 968 969 973 477 538 579 624 815 813 809 839 Bendigo 976 588 619 647 649 852 844 839 851 Geelong 952 719 775 836 854 878 887 904 915 Wannambool Queensland— 928 715 734 727 747 8eo 856 844 858 Brisbane 966 678 696 753 792 874 867 877 899 Toowoomba . . 965 618 701 672 788 854 868 842 897 B^ckhamptou 1,002 625 611 656 694 882 858 858 884 Charters T'w'rs 1,134 602 674 646 592 964 965 930 926 Warwick 1,003 727 723 718 790 915 900 884 921 S. ArSTEALIA— Adelaide 1,012 1,173 1,245 1,210 1,143 1,064 1,098 1,095 1,062 Uoonta, &c. . . 1,014 523 570 618 567 858 851 849 843 Port Pirie 1,048 845 793 738 720 983 954 919 922 Mt. Gambier.. 904 606 625 639 640 809 802 793 803 Petersburg . . 1,018 837 840 823 791 960 953 936 931 W. AUSIKALIA — Perth . . 1,180 968 971 952 867 1,112 1,103 1,085 1,060 Ealgoorlie, &c. 1,471 1,136 1,128 1,103 830 1,364 1,346 1,318 1,225 Mid. Janet. r _:__:::::: ^ i. --i. V ---S;^- = S=^---5,^ - H " T- J- -M 'i,^^t- — " ^^ ^-^ 5-" /^ " ~ Cut; s 1 aid Leitii r. , 1800 ""^ "^~ ~ " ^ - ^ ^ i-^ 7^ ,^/ N S__- -_ / ^ ,^j^=.^ '^^ " ^;': z •^; V ■ JL '^^2 ^-=2. - "v It Atfricn turi^l Prodnro ^^ ^= J 3^ '^^ n S-^ '^4l /i4-H y( i>^-m Tl ^s 2" 5^2 I S; 3 ' ,' ' s ™ ' ' '>"' n Ti i5ot \ ^L , V Oion p IV ' ^^^'' t 5-^ j,%'Z~^ — . . • 1 1 ^ V ^-5-J^>--37Ss, ^^^ X -.4-^ J'i^^'^ it '"" ± i z ^ = ^■-S ,z.tl t ^i' X- \. It ^^ \-V- 200C -f-.^ , 1 I ^L • . __ _ __ L,T ' , • ■ " V l»» ill >. ji'~-'\ il 'v,^^— ' S 1 : Y" '^- /^ \ ' 1 1 i 1 nsiy KjJ-LJA 1 ^ — ^1 ,— >— y\ ? lOOO . : J } ^;" -I" /%\i''' ' X s z '^^ T BOO 'T 1 ! '\ Q^^\^} VI. 1500 [ 1 % /^ , — » «.t ^ / V 7 i i -S-'^V^.,^ /, [^f-tr/-- 7/ ^ ■^ / ,^ A. rt. y N y 800 liOO « / • > // 1000 ^ \ / ,,' \ '/ \ ^-* y \ • \ % / •• — ^» ^y \ ■•-^^ y 900 • Tl - ■/- ^' "--. ^f' \ ?^ ^ — ^ • / ^. \ / ^ V 9 Estimated Relative Productive Activity in Commonwealth. 1891 to 1911. Year. 1871 1881 1891 1901 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 Estimated Value of Production. (6) W I Per Head Total. of Popula- ! tion. II. Estimated value of Production per Head Index- Number (1911 = 1,000). £000 46,700 71,116 96,087 114,585 147,043 167,446 164,957 174,503 187,734 188,745 1 £ 27.89 661 31.34 746 30.06 715 30.23 719 36.21 862 40.61 966 39.33 936 40.82 971 43.92 1,045 42.03 1,000 m. IV. Estimated Wholesale Belative ' Price- Productive Index- Activity ' Number Index- (1911 = Niunber 1,000). (1911 = 1,000). 1,233 536 1,124 664 945 757 974 738 948 909 1,021 946 1,115 839 993 978 1,003 1,042 1,000 1,000 1,170 y. Effective Wages Index-Numbers (1911 = 1,000). (a) FuU Time. (») Allowing for Lost Time. 872 964 960 996 946 974 985 1,000 955 83-. 945 940 986 934 963 974 1,000 946 Not Available. These %ures shew that the estimated relative productivity per head of population increased by no less than 86 per cent, from 1871 to 1911,_an'd by nearly 33 per cent, from 1891 to 1911. Eeference to the subjoined graph will shew that the increase was not uniform during the whole of the years specified, slight decreases occurring in 1901 and 1911, and a heavy fall in 1908, which was a year of severe drought. It may also be seen that the increase in productive activity ^er head has relatively been far greater than the increase in nominal wages and still greater than the increase in effective wages. The index-numbers given in the above table are, of course, rever- sible. That is to say, if it be desired to take any year, other than the year 1911, as base, the necessary index-numbers can be obtained by dividing throughout by the index-number for the year which is to be taken as base, and multiplying the results by 1000. For example, if it be desired to compare the yeaxs 1906 to 1911, inclusive, with the year 1901 as base, the relative productive activity index-numbers must be multiplied throughout by i°°%38, and the effective wage index-num- bers (allowing for unemployment) by ^°<'%45. The results are shewn in the following table, in which cost of living index-numbers (weighted average for six capital towns) are also included. Relative Production Activity, Effective Wages and Cost of Living in Australia, 1901 to 1912. Particulars. 1901. 1906. 1907. 1908. 1909. 1910. 1911. 1912. Relative Productive Activity Nominal;Eates of Wages Effective Wages* Cost of Living 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,232 1,021 995 1,025 1,282 1,053 1,043 1,019 1,137 1,061 988 1,081 1,325 1,088 1,019 1,075 1,412 1,126 1,031 1,107 i 1,355 t 1,179 1,240 1,058 1,001 1,136 1,251 * .A-llowing for lost time through unemploymeit. t Not available. While it may be dangerous, in view of the fluctuating nature of some of the figures, to compare individual years without due reference Digitized by Microsoft® 70 Nominal and Effective Wages. Relative Productive Activity and Nominal and Eftective Wages in Commonwealth, 1871 to 1911. IIM A -i 1 r 1 . .. !. '„..J 1 1 V V [ominal Wage Index-Na ' iUUB s U ^ 120O \ X) Total Value of Prodaction. \ "k^ 'alue of Pro^notio Tholesale Price Int 1 per Heed. \ F^ ez-Nn \ ' HOC \ ^ ^ \ / \, \ / S \ y ■ / s ^ ^ ion \ K^ \ rf* > \ ^ 7^ \ ^.-^ X -'B ~^^ / — — ■ ' ---^ . '~— ^ •i--" '•^s. -^ -i N "" / ....^•'' tm ' s ■•-^r' / ■ V / /. ^-'" 'u s / - ..- — / s / --^ ^-- — .. !S8 / '1) / / / y ...^ C'- / ... TOO / ■^ 100 / oo T! ---- --_. ~ ,, / ^ • ^, _— - u /:- . _-- •' *» no / y » / / tv fS n •A ^k A Id 91 ig 01 19 06 , 19 OT a (tt ' 19 W" ■ k> 10 >« H igtt ExPLANATOBY NoTK. — From 1871 to 1901 figures are available only at decennial periods ; every double space on the horizontal scale up to 1901 represents, therefore, a period of 10 years. The double space from 1901 to 1906 represents a ijeriod of five years, while from that year onward each double space represents a single year. The upper figures on the left — from 500 to 1300 — represent the scale for the index-numbers shewn in graphs A, B, C and F ; the lower figures on the left from to 200— represent in millions of £ sterling (£000,000) the scale for graph D. shewing the total value of production ; while the figures on the right — from to .50— rei^reseut in £ sterling the scale for the value of production per head of population shewn in graph E. to Other years, it may be seen that from 1901 to 1911 the relative pro- ductive activity increased from 1000 to 1355, or 35% per cent., while nominal wages increased nearly 18 per cent, (or about one-half the increase in productive activity), effective wages increased 5.8 per cent., and cost of living 13.6 per cent. It should be remembered, however, that in the following year there was a heavy decline (see p. 66) in the effective wage index-number Digitized by Microsoft® Appendix. APPENDIX I. 71 SPECIMEN FORM (EBDUCED) FOE COLLECTION OF RETURNS AS TO PAST YEARS FROM TRADE UNIONS. 3 S s I 5 1 3 * I : -2 - III .5 g s u "~ il Ij 1 s i t i •1 i ^ i i 1 '- 1 i i 1 [ 1 i 1 i \ 11 's i o n 2 §^ S Ml li It I 1 II ! a I S i a g J i -g a ;■ s == .3 ^ - Is ; i l° = M I ^ ■ « o ■ I! -I I a int i S a S 'Digitize by M^ro^of ® 72 Appendix. APPENDIX II. Carrent Retail Prices in Metropolitan and Country Towns, 191S. Bread Flour Tea Coffee SugaT Rice Sago Jam Oat- Bais- Cur- Starch Tows. meal ins rants 2 lbs. 25 lbs. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. Sydney 8.4 2 10.9 1 4.1 1 6.3 •2.8 2.8 2.9 4.5 3.0 6.3 7.3 5.6 Newcastle 3.0 2 11.3 1 5.4 !l 5.7 2.9 3.2 3.1 4.5 2.9 7.1 7.5 5.6 Broken Hill 3.5 3 0.4 1 6.2 ;l 7.9 3.3 4.0 4.1 4.5 3.5 7.1 7.4 6.9 Goulburn . . 3.3 2 10.2 1 6.0 1 6.6 8.0 3.1 8.8 4.6 3.1 7.7 7.7 6.0 Bathurst . . 3.5 2 6.9 1 5.8 1 6.1 3.0 3.0 3.4 4.9 8.0 . 7.2 7.2 6.1 Melbourne 3.0 2 7.1 1 2.7 il 6.6 2.9 2.8 2.9 4.0 2.8 6.3 7.1 5.3 Ballarat . . 3.1 2 7.1 1 3.0 1 5.7 3.0 2.9 2.9 3.6 2.7 5.8 6.8 5.5 Bendlgo . . 3.3 2 6.5 1 2.3 1 6.1 3.2 2.9 3.0 3.5 2.9 5.8 7.0 5.3 Geelong . . 3.3 2 9.8 1 2.7 1 5.3 3.0 2.6 3.0 3.8 2.9 6.2 7.5 5.2 Waiinambool 3.3 2 8.5 1 3.2 1 6.1 2.9 2.8 8.0 3.9 2.9 6.3 7.0 5.7 Brisbane . . 3.5 3 2.1 1 4.4 1 7.1 3.0 2.6 2.8 3.9 2.8 6.4 7.2 5.5 Toowoomba 3.5 3 4.4 1 6.0 1 5.9 3.1 8.0 3.2 4.9 3.0 7.2 7.7 6.0 Bockhampt'n Charters Towers 3.8 3 0.7 1 6.0 1 6.7 2.8 2.8 3.0 4.5 2.9 6.2 7.0 6.0 4.5 3 6.9 1 7.6 1 7.9 3.5 8.7 4.0 4.9 8.4 6.8 7.7 6.1 Warwick .. 3.8 3 4.4 1 6.0 1 6.0 3.1 3.0 3.4 4.9 8.1 8.2 7.6 6.0 Adelaide .. 3.5 2 9.6 1 4.5 1 6.2 2.9 3.3 8.2 8.4 2.9 6.2 6.8 5.5 Kadina Moonta & Wallaroo 3.3 2 6.1 1 3.4 1 6.2 2.9 3.0 8.1 3.5 2.9 6.6 6.7 5.9 Port Pirie 3.0 2 9.6 1 6.0 1 8.0 8.3 3.4 3.7 3.9 8.0 7.1 7.5 6.1 Mt. Gambier 3.0 3 0.0 1 4.2 1 7.9 3.0 3.0 3.2 4.0 3.0 6.6 7.0 5.8 Petersburg 3.5 2 11.2 1 5.6 1 7.6 3.2 3.5 3.0 ■ 4.2 8.0 7.4 6.9 6.2 Perth and Fremantle 3.5 2 8.4 1 8.8 1 7.3 3.0 2.9 3.0 4.1 2.9 6.5 7.0 5.9 Kalgoorlle & Boulder 5.0 3 8.0 1 7.3 1 9.2 3.9 3.9 4.0 5.3 3.4 9.3 8.1 7.0 Mid. Junction & Guildford 3.5 2 9.4 1 3.8 1 6.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 4.1 3.0 6.0 7.4 6.0 Bunbury . . 8.5 2 10.4 1 3.8 1 6.0 3.2 3.0 8.1 4.2 2.9 6.7 7.8 6.1 Geraldton 4.0 2 11.1 1 5.3 1 3.4 3.3 8.0 4.0 4.3 8.0 7.8 7.9 6.0 Hobart . . 3.5 3 0.9 1 3.4 1 6.0 3.0 3.0 3.2 4.3 2.8 6.4 7.7 6.0 Laimoeston 3.3 2 7.5 1 2.5 1 5.1 2.7 2.9 2.8 3.9 2.6 6.2 7.1 5.4 Zeehan 3.8 2 11.2 1 4.2 1 6.1 3.0 3.0 3.3 4.1 3.2 6.6 7.1 5.6 Beaconsfleld 3.3 2 10.4 1 3.3 1 5.9 8.0 3.0 3.5 4.3 2.8 7.6 ■ 7.1 5.9 Queengtown 3.8 8 0.3 1 5.6 1 4.5 2.9 3.0 3.2 4.0 2.7 7.4 7.8 5.8 Darwin, N.T. 6.0 4 0.0 1 5.5 1 7.0 3.5 3.0 4.5 5.0 5.0 10.5 9.5 6.5 Weighted 3.3 3 9.8 1 3.8 1 6.5 2.9 2.9 3.0 4.1 2.9 6.4 7.2 5.6 Average* * Weighted average for all towns exclusive of Darwin. Digitized by Microsoft© AfPENSIZ. 73 Current Retail Prices in Metropolitan and Country Towns, 1912 — oontd. Mutfn Mutfn Mutfn Chops Chops Chops Pork Pork Pork Pork Town. ah'ldec loin Neck Loin Leg Neck Leg Loin Belly Chops per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. d. Sydney . . 3.5 4.7 3.7 5.6 4.9 4.2 8.0 8.5 7.7 8.9 Newcastle 4.2 4.9 4.1 5.0 5.2 4.4 6.8 7.8 6.4 7.9 Broken Hill S.2 5.6 4.6 6.6 6.5 5.9 9.3 9.3 8.4 10.2 Goulborn . . 4.0 4.7 3.3 4.7 4.7 3.4 6.1 6.2 6.0 6.3 Bathnrat .. 3.8 4.2 S.O 4.3 4.4 3.8 5.8 6.1 6.0 6.3 Melbourne 3.4 4.4 3.1 5.3 4.9 3.6 6.7 7.4 7.3 7.7 Ballarat . . 4.2 5.2 3.8 5.8 6.1 4.6 7.5 8.3 8.5 8.5 Bendigo . . 3.8 4.9 3.4 5.5 5.4 4.3 6.7 6.9 6.9 7.2 Oeelong . . 3.7 4.6 3.7 4.9 4.9 3.9 6.8 7.4 7.3 7.6 Warrnambool 4.3 5.2 3.9 5.3 5.2 4.3 6.3 6.5 6.4 6.7 Brisbane .. 3.1 4.8 4.3 5.1 5.1 5.1 7.0 7.3 6.0 7.9 Toowoomba 2.9 4.5 3-7 4.9 4.9 4.9 6.1 6.1 5.9 6.3 Sockhampt'n Charters Towers 3.9 5.3 4.1 5.4 5.3 5.2 7.3 7.3 6.4 7.4 4.0 5.7 3.9 6.0 6.0 5.3 8.0 8.0 6.9 8.0 Warwick .. 4.1 5.0 4.7 5.0 5.0 5.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 Adelaide .. 3.6 4.6 3.6 5.1 5.3 4.4 7.3 8.1 8.0 8.2 Eadina Uoonta & Wallaroo 3.6 4.3 3.4 4.8 5.5 4.4 6.7 6.7 6.3 7.0 PortPirie 4.1 4.5 4.1 5.7 5.9 5.3 6.3 6.1 6.1 6.5 Mt. Gambler 4.0 4.7 3.5 5.0 5.0 4.5 6.4 6.5 6.5 6.5 Petersburg 4.2 4.8 3.8 5.6 5.9 4.8 6.0 6.0 5.9 6.0 Perth and I^emantle 6.6 7.3 5.8 7.9 8.1 6.5 9.0 9.0 8.1 9.6 Kalgoorlie & Boulder 7.1 8.3 6.8 8.5 8.8 8.2 10.7 10.5 9.3 11.6 Mid. Junction & Guildford 7.3 7.6 5.9 8.2 8.2 7.0 8.8 8.8 8.1 8.9 Bunbury .. 7.9 8.6 7.1 8.9 8.9 7.8 9.0 9.0 8.9 9.4 Geraldton 6.7 7.1 6.1 7.7 7.7 7.2 8.0 8.0 6.9 8.0 Hobart 4.7 5.4 4.4 6.3 6.2 5.1 6.5 6.9 6.8 7.3 Launceston 5.0 5.3 4.2 6.2 6.0 5.1 6.3 6.5 6.5 6.8 Zeehan 6.2 7.0 6.0 7.2 7.2 6.3 7.6 7.6 7.3 7.8 Beacons field 5.3 5.5 4.4 6.4 6.3 6.2 6.4 6.4 6.4 6.6 Queenstown 6.6 6.5 5.7 7.2 7.3 6.4 7.3 7.3 7.3 7.3 Darwin, N.T. 7.0 9.0 7.0 9.0 9.0 7.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 Weighted 3.8 4.9 3.8 5.6 S.3 4.4 7.4 7.9 7.4 8.2 Average* * Weighted average for all towns exclusive of Darwin. Digitized by Microsoft® 74 Appendix, Current Retail Prices in Metropolitan and Country Towns, 1912 — contd. Beef Beef Beet Beef Beef Beef Steak Bump Steak Beef Co'n'd Co'n'd Ham Fresh Fresh Fresh Fresh Steak But- Co'n'd brisket brisket Mutt'n Town. Sirloiii Bib Flank Shin sh'lder tock round with with- Leg bone out bone per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. per lb. 8. d. d. d. d. d. s. d. d. d. d.' d. d. d. Sydney 0.3 6.2 4.9 4.2 3.6 8.4 4.3 4.3 4.6 3.1 4.0 4.1 Newcastle 0.5 5.7 5.0 4.1 3.9 7.4 4.4 4.5 4.8 3.7 5.0 5.0 Broken Hill 1.3 6.7 5.7 4.0 5.4 10.0 6.4 6.7 6.7 4.3 5.7 6.2 Goulburn . . H.9 5.7 4.7 4.2 3.9 6.6 4.6 4.6 5.7 4.2 5.2 4.7 Bathurst .. 1.0 4.6 4.1 3.3 3.5 6.1 4.0 4.2 4.3 3.5 4.1 4.3 Melbourne 0.6 6.4 5.1 4.3 3.8 8.9 4.6 5.2 5.3 3.2 4.3 4.3 BaUarat . . 0.6 7.4 6.4 5.1 4.7 10.1 5.9 6.2 7.2 4.5 6.1 5.1 Bendlgo . . 11.6 5.9 5.4 3.9 4.2 8.1 5.2 5.4 5.4 3.6 4.9 5.0 Geelong . . 0.3 6.0 5.5 4.4 3.9 7.9 4.5 5.4 5.6 3.4 4.5 4.5 Warmambool 11.7 5.8 4.9 3.5 4.3 7.1 4.2 4.9 5.1 3.4 4.1 5.2 Brisbane . . 2.3 4.4 3.3 3.4 2.9 6.3 3.7 3.7 4.4 2.8 3.9 4.6 Toowoomba 2.4 4.9 3.2 2.2 2.5 5.7 2.9 2.9 4.4 2.5 4.0 4.5 Bockhampt'n Charters Towers 2.9 5.7 4.9 3.4 2.8 5.9 4.0 3.7 5.0 3.9 4.7 5.3 3.9 5.0 3.5 3.5 4.0 6.0 4.C 4.0 4.5 3.5 4.5 5.5 WarwicTc . . 2.5 5.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 5.0 4.0 4.0 5.0 4.0 4.4 5.0 Adelaide . . 0.3 ' 5.8 4.8 4.2 3.8 8.1 4.5 4.9 5.8 3.6 4.6 4.4 Moonta & I Wallaroo 0.1 5.6 5.4 4.0 4.6 7.0 5.4 5.4 5.6 4.2 5.0 4.7 Port Pirie 1.2 5.9 4.9 3.1 4.4 7.8 5.4 5.5 6.0 4.0 4.9 4.9 Mt. Gambler 0.3 53 4.7 3.7 4.0 5.9 4.0 4.0 5.3 4.0 5.0 4.1 Petersburg 1.2 5.4 5.0 4.9 4.8 7.4 5.1 5.2 5.6 4.0 4.9 5.0 Perth 'and Fremantle 1.9 7.5 6.5 6.0 5.7 11.7 7.0 . 7.0 7.0 4.5 5.9 7.7 Kalgoorlie & Boulder 4.6 8.7 7.6 6.7 8.4 11.8 8.4 8.4 8.0 6.2 7.8 8.7 Mid. Junction & Guildford 1.7 8.2 7.4 4.9 6.9 1 0.4 8.0 7.8 7.7 .5.3 6.7 8.2 Bunbury . . 1.4 8.9 . 7.9 5.7 7.1 1 0-0 8.0 8.0 8.1 6.1 7.2 8.9 Gftaldton 2.7 7.7 6.7 ■ 5.2 6.5 9.3 7.2 7.4 7.2 5.9 6.6 7.7 Hobart . . 1.2 6.8 5.8 4.2 4.8 8.6 5.5 6.3 6.1 3.8 5.1 5.6 Launceston 0.2 6.4 5.7 4.0 5.0 7.2 5.4 5.9 5.9 3.9 5.3 5.4 Zeehan 11.7 7.0 6.7 5.6 0.0 8.2 6.6 6.9 6.9 5.8 6.6 7.2 Beaconsfleld 0.4 6.4 5.9 4.6 5.6 6.9 6.4 6.3 5.6 4.5 5.5 5.5 Queenstown 0.1 7.3 6.6 4.7 5.8 8.4 6.6 7.2 7.0 4.9 5.8 7.0 Darwin, N.T. 7.0 .0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 9.0 Weighted o.a 6.2 6.1 4.3 4,0 8.6 4.7 6.0 6.3 3.4 4.5 4.7 Average* * Weiglited average for all towns exclusive of Darwin. Digitized by Microsoft® Appendix. 75 Current Retail Prices in Metropolitan and Country Towns, 1912 — contd. Town. I Blue. Candle Idz. sq. j per lb. Soap per lb. Pota- toes. 14 lbs. Sydney Newcastle Broken Hill Goulbnrn . . Bathurst . . Melbourne Ballarat . . | Bendigo . . ! Geelong . . i Warrnambooll Brisbane . . { Toowoomba Bockhampt'n Charters ! Towers I Warwick . . I Adelaide Kadiua . d. 8.8 10.0 0.3 H.2 11.3 6..5 6.3 6.4! 6.3 7.1 ! 8.4 9.9 9.4 10.5 11.6 Moonta & Wallaroo 9.6 Port Pirie 11.7 Mt. Gambler 11.0 Petersburg 11.6 Perth and 1 Fremantle 10.9 1 Kalgoorlie & Boulder 1 0.0 Mid. Junction & Guildford 10.7 Bunbury . . 11.2 (Jeraldton 1 ool Weighted Average* 8.3 d.\ 6.6 7.0 8.5' 6.5 7.3! 6.3 5.9 1 6.5 6.0: 6.21 6.5 I 7.2 6.9 7.8 7.3 9.2 ! 7.a 7.3 8.6 7.8 7.9 7.4 9.5 8.2 Hcbart . . 8.8 5.9 Lannceston 7.3 5.7 Zeehan 9.3 6.8 Beaconsfleld j 9.4 7.3 Queenstown | 8.6 7.7 Darwin, N.T. 10.5 9.0 d. s. 3.0 1 3.6 il 3.2,2 3.2 '1 2.9 1 3.6 1 2.911 3.1 |l 3.0:1 2.9 ll 2.4 ]1 11.4 3.011 11.9 2.5 11 11.2 2.812 2.9 1 2.6 1 6.5 2.5 3.0 3.6 2.9 4.1 3.2 2.7 2.7 3.1 2.8 3.1 4.3 3.3 3.3 7.7 8.7 4.0 8.0 2 4.7 2 0.4 1 10.7 2 1.3 1 7.2 1 7.2 1 10.4 1 9.4 1 8.3 3 0.0 Onions per lb. Kero- sene gallon d. 2.2 2.6 3.0 2.7 2.4 2.0 2.0 2.1 2.0 1.8 2.1 2.5 2.3 3.0 2.7 2.3 2.7 2.6 2.4 3.0 2.4 3.4 2.7 3.0 2.6 2.6 2.4 2.5 2.8 2.2 2.5 d. 0.8 2.2 9.6 3.2 5.2 1 2.1 1 3.1 1 4.1 1 4.0 1 5.1 1 0.6 1 1.2 1 2.2 1 9.5 Milk quart Butter per lb. Cheese per lb. d s. 5.0 II 4.5 il 6.111 4.911 4.3 1 4.6 |1 3.9 !l 4.8 1 4.611 3.811 4.8 4.0 4.8 4.9 4.0 6.0 5.8 3.6 4.3 6.9 9.0 6.0 5.5 6.0 5.0 4.5 5.6 4.6 5.5 1 6.6 s, d. 11.7 11.7 1 0.4 11.8 11.8 3.7 2.6 i 3.0 I 2.9 I 3.61 11.4 11.3 11.4 10.9 10.6 Eggs per liz Bacon Middle per lb. Bacon Shou- der. per lb. 3.6 11.1 1 3.1 10.9 2.0 1 11.7 1 4.8 4.2 4.6 1.6 3.5 1 4.4 1 7.0 3.8 2.8 4.3 3.9 1 3.9 11 6.0 e.*! 3.11 7.4 2.21 1.4 5.11 3.6 11.6 1 5.7 11. 0.4 10.6 11.7 1 0.6 10.1 11.7 11.8 1 1.5 1 0.0 1 0.2 1 1.0 11.7 10.6 11.6 11.2 10.8 1 1.0 d. s. d. 6.9 11.2 7.0 11.5 5.3 1 0.0 4.9 11.0 4.8 1 11.8 5.4 1 0.2 2.2 1 0.0 2.9 1 10.6 3.4 11.81 2.2 10.9 5.6 i 10.6 1 3.9 1 10.0 1 5.6 9.5 1 8.0 1 11.7 1 3.11 10.2 1 2.9 11.5 1 1 0-9 1 1.8 11.5 1 1.5 11.3 1 0.2 11.3 11.7 1 8.2 1 7.1 1 9.3 1 0.6 1 0.5 1 1.5 4.4 11.1 3.0 10.4 6.0 10.5 3.9 10.2 6.1 10.4 9.0 1 1.0 d. 7.2 9.9 9.8 8.1 9.3 7.2 7.5 7.5 7.2 7.3 7.5 7.8 8.9 8.7 7.0 9.9 9.7 10.1 1 8.4 1 0.7 i 8.2 2 0.7 11 2.0' 9.8 9.0 8.5 9.9 7.1- 8.0 8.1 8.7 8.6 1.0 7.5 * Weighted average of all towns exclusive for Darwin. Digitized by Microsoft® 76 Appendix. APPENDIX III. Carrent Weekly House Rentst in Metropolitan and Country Towns, 1912. Town. AvERAOB Predominant Wbbkiy Bents fok Houses having — Tinder 4 Booms. 4 Booms. 5 Koome. 6 Booms. Over 7 Booms. 7 Booms. Weighted Average for aU Honses. Sydney . . Newcastle Broken Hill Gtoulburn Bathurst Melbourne Baliarat Bendigo Geelong Warrnambool Brisbane Toowoomba Bockhampton . . Charters Towers Warwick Adelaide Moonta &c. Port ririe Mt. Gambler Petersburg Perth . . Kalgoorlie Mid. Junction Bunbury Geraldton Hobart . . Launceston Zeehan . . Beaconsiield Queenstown Weighted Average 11 S 6 10 5 10 11 6 10 11 4 1 10 1 15 7 9 11 7 4 11 5 7 8 10 7 10 11 13 9 18 11 12 12 9 2 11 6 10 11 10 10 10 10 14 16 .5 10 5 12 5 16 2 20 4 9 10 12 7 9 2 11 6 6 10 10 4 3 4 7 8 6 10 8 9 6 12 21 14 14 15 12 18 10 11 10 15 3 13 12 12 11 13 26 17 18 22 16 21 13 20 31 11 23 10 29 10 21 11 25 19 24 20 16 10 14 5 18 6 22 S fi 11 11 9 13 9 4 11 12 6 15 14 15 16 25 14 16 14 17 22 10 21 11 16 20 29 5 14 K 19 2 17 « 20 s. d. 19 7 10 11 10 9 14 4 10 8 15 10 9 11 10 13 11 10 12 12 11 9 12 18 9 11 10 12 5 17 4 21 3 27 4 13 9 9 20 1 23 7 31 13 2 10 16 19 24 5 11 10 4 15 4 18 7 21 1 10 fi 3 22 6 25 8 35 8 16 1 14 5 17 6 20 8 12 11 11 14 8 16 10 21 12 9 2 12 6 14 2 17 6 7 9 5 « 6 8 7 8 4 6 5 13 8 16 4 20 8 8 1 14 10 18 3 23 8 12 5 t The rents are shewn to the nearest penny. Digitized by Microsoft® Appendix. 77 APPENDIX IV. Average Annual Wholesale Prices in Melbourne, 1912. COMMODITT. UNIT. 1912. Commodity Unit. 1912. GROITP I. MBTAIS — s. d. Groiip V. Gkooeries, &o. — s. d. Hon— Pig— Mixed Nos. . . ton 83 2 Currants lb. Si Bod and Bar ^j 215 7 Baisms 6i Angle and Tee J, 202 11 Herrings doz.'l lb. Plate „ 201 4 tins i « Hoop j^ 212 4 Salmon 9 5i Galvanised Corrugated „ 359 5 Sardines doz. hlvs 5 2 Wire, Fencing „ 156 H Tea lb. 8t Zinc— Sheet ,, 733 1 Coffee jj 1 2 lead— Sheet „ 405 Cocoa ^ 1 1 Piping Coppers-Sheet lb. 448 4 lOi Sugar Macaroni ton lb. 474 3i Cnal (on Wharf) ton 22 6 Sago „ 2i Tinned Plates cwt. 17 1 Bice ton 527 6 QuicOsilver . . lb. 2 8i Sall^Fine ,, 81 3 Bock 52 11 Gbovp n Tbxxilbs,I,eatheb,&c Mustard doz.'l lb. Jute Goods— Branbags . dozen 5 Hi tins 19 Gornsacks . „ 5 lOJ Starch lb. 5 Woolpacks . each 2 9 Blue S| leather— Kip lb. 1 7 Matches gross 2 1 Calf „ 2 4i Candles lb. 7i Basils .. dozen 20 Kerosene gallon lOi Cotton— Baw lb. ei Tobacco lb. 4 lOi Wool „ 9i Twine, Reaper and Binder. „ a TaUow ton 619 3 Group VI. meat — Beef 100 lb. 25 21 GROirpni. Aqmcult'i Pboduob Mutton lb. 3 Wheat bushel i 1 Lamb each 9 11 ; Flour ton 178 4 Veal lb. 2 Bran bushel 1 2i Pork 4 Pollard jj 1 3i Oats „ 3 2} Oatmeal Barley— Malting . . Feed Maize Hay Straw Peas Potatoes Malt Chiff ton bushel ton bushel ton bushel ton 414 7 5 Hi 4 8 4 1 119 7 36 lOi 4 0} 183 7i 7 7i 97 3 235 7i Group VII. Buildino Material Timber— Flooring— 6 x IJ 6 X i 6 X i 6 X i Weatherboards . . Oregon Shelving . . Cement White Lead 100ft lin loodft sp ca^k ton 11 3 8 8 7 9 5 7} 6 4 135 9 335 14 6i 723 6 Onions ,, Slates 1000 252 4 Group IV, Ham Dairt Produce- Bacon 9S Group VIII. Chemicals— Cheese 11 Cream of Tartar . . lb. 9i Butter ,, 1 li Carbonate of Soda ton 165 5 Lard „ 7i Saltpetre „ 660 Eggs . , dozen 1 li Sulphur „ 195 9 Honey lb. 3S 1 Caustic Soda cwt. 12 3 Beeswax jj 1 4 Potassium Cyanide . . lb. 8i Condensed Milk doz. tins 5 8i! Alum ton "■88 6 Digitized by Microsoft® Digitized by Microsoft® Digitized by Microsoft® Cornel) University Library HD 6892.K69 Trade unionism, unemployment, wages, pri 3 1924 002 850 794 Digitized by Microsoft® Date Due K4^ BRODARI INC Cat No 23 233 Printed in U S A Digitized by Microsoft® Digitized by Microsoft®