XXXIV

In  regard  to  all  standard  rates  of  weekly  earnings  given  in  this  Report  it
must  be  remembered  that  the  earnings  of  the  workmen  are  subject  to  this
compulsory  deduction.
(v.)  Relation  of  Rates  of  Wages  to  Rents  and  Prices.
The  following  Table  shows  for  each  of  the  geographical  groups  the  mean
index  numbers  for  rents  and  prices,  and  for  rents  and  prices  combined,  together
with  the  mean  index  numbers  for  the  weekly  rates  of  wages  for  skilled  men  in
the  building,  engineering,  and  printing  trades.

Geographical  Group.

Number
of
Towns.

Mean  Index  Numbers.

Rent  and  Prices.

Rent.

Prices.

Rent  and
Prices
combined.*

Wages  (Skilled  Men).

Building. ­


Berlin
Central  Germany
Rhineland  Westphalia  :—
(а)  Textile  Towns
(б)  Hardware  Towns
South  Germany
Saxony
Silesia
Baltic  Ports
North  Sea  Ports

100
35
55
61
65
47
52
52
59

100
99
104
100
107
102
91
99
101

100
86
94
93
99
91
83
89
93

100
83
82
84
77
80
71
78
96

Engineering. ­


Printing.

100
86
92f
93
81
79f
95f
69f
88

100
85
88
89
88
91
88
89
96

*  In  the  construction  of  this  index  number  prices  have  been  given  a  weight  of  four
and  rent  a  weight  of  one.
t  In  these  cases  the  number  of  towns  included  is  less  than  the  number  in  the
geographical  group.
From  this  Table  it  does  not  appear  possible  to  draw  any  conclusions  as  to
the  extent  to  which  wages  vary  from  one  district  to  another  with  variations  in
that  part  of  the  cost  of  living  which  is  represented  by  expenditure  on  food  and
housing  accommodation.  The  available  data  are  hardly  sufficient  for  the  determination ­
  of  the  problem  ;  but  the  above  Table  does  not  seem  to  indicate  any
immediate  relation  between  the  level  of  rent  and  prices  on  the  one  hand  and
of  wages  on  the  other.
If  the  mean  of  the  wages  index  numbers  for  the  three  trades  (building,
engineering,  and  printing)  be  taken  in  each  group,  and  the  results  combined
with  the  index  numbers  for  rents  and  prices  combined,  an  approximate  comparison ­
  of  the  average  level  of  "  real  ”  wages  may  be  made,  i.e.,  of  the  money
wages  expressed  in  terms  of  their  purchasing  capacity  (as  shown  by  the  index
numbers  of  rent  and.  prices  combined)  rpk ~  —  *  —^  "
Table  :—

The  results  are  set  out  in  the  following

Geographical  Group.

Number  of
Towns.

Mean  Index  Numbers.

Rent  and
Prices
combined.

Berlin
Central  Germany
Rhineland  Westphalia  :—
(a)  Textile  Towns
(b)  Hardware  Towns
South  Germany
Saxony
Silesia
Baltic  Ports  ...
North  Sea  Ports

100
86
94
93
99
91
83
89
93

Wages  of  Skilled
Men  in  Building,
Engineering,  and
Printing  Trades.

100
85
87
89
82
83
85
79
93

Approximate
relative  level
of  “  Real
Wages.”

100
99
93
96
83
91
102
89
100