137
1922=100.
1924* 1931
1982
1933
1934
1985 1936
1937 1938
Beaus
100.3 130.9
118.6
101.3
88.9
78.7 121.4
145.4 135.9
Beef
Eggs
Flour (Wheat)
116.9 218.0 152.8
94.5
96.4 114.0
131.1 104.5
98.5
173.2
96.7
85.7
121.3 128.0 161.1
188.9 178.2
Salt Fish
87.6
125.9
150.0
Fruits, Fresh
123.4
306.7
274.5
Lard
106.9
188.0
114.7 101.2
86.0 .78.6
75.8 66.3
153.4 137.1 118.9 97.5
250.1 233.0 201.5 256.2
78.5
93.0
107.7 1083.3
104.4
141.2 116.1
Peanut Oil
111.6
117.1
122.1
101.7
73.1
Pork
103.6
133.8
119.8 109.6
87.3
77.8
84.7 181.3
97.3
106.9 100.2
310.0 303.2
82.7 113.2 146.2 105.6
151.3 111.6
151.9 124.4
Poultry
111.0
175.2
147.7
117.0
88.8
86.1 02.2
124.7 118.1
Rice (Broken)
112.3 126.1
118.3
88.9
66.1
68.6
108.0
183.0 125.8
Rice (White)
110.2
133.2 118.5
93.5
72.2
71.4
106.3
123.5 120.9
Vegetables
(Dried, etc.)
96.3
64.3
56.8
45.2
45.4
46.6
55.5
56.1
59.5
141. The variations in wholesale prices are reflected in the retail prices shown in the following rough table of costs per catty (pound and a third) of staple food- stuffs of the wage earning classes for the last nine years:
1980
1931
1982
1983
1084 1985 1036 1937
1938
$ c.
$ c.
$ 0. $c.
D $
.c.
C.
$ c.
Rice (3rd Gradej
per cutty
9.2
8.6
8.4
7.6
5.6
1.0
6.3
7.9
7.8
Fresh Fish
26.2
25.0 31.5
31.8
25.3
23.8
20.9
26.9
24.4
Salt Fish
Beef
33.7 82.0
49.0 49.0 48.0
34.6
27.8
28.1
22.5
21.2
24.1 25.2
44.4 40.6
35.2
32.8
36.8
87.6
Pork
54.0
58.0 55.0 51.4 41.6
38.9
41 7
51.9
49.7
Oil
23.2
28.0 24.2 21.4
15.3
15.8
23.7
28.3
22.2
Firewood
1.4
1.4
1.4
1.1
1.0
0.9
0.8
1.0
1.1
142. One cause of the variations in the market price of imports has been the fluctuation in the value of the local dollar in terms of sterling as shown in the following table.
Year.
Average rate.
1924
2/ 42
1929
2
1930
184
1931
1/ 02
(January 11d; December 1,54)
1932
1/32
1933
1/ 42
1934
1/6
1935
1/11
(May 1/44; December 1,81) (2/4 to 1/83)
1936
1/ 81%
1937
1/ 218
1938
1/ 24
143. The figures which appear annually regarding cost of living in the report of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs are based on information obtained from the District Watch Force. At my request figures were furnished from the same source showing the cost of living of an ordinary labourer. The figures have been tabulated as follows:-
* The collection of trade statistics was commenced in 1917, discontinued in 1925, and resumed in 1930.