183.
~65
1939 prices. A rough idea of quantities can be secured from the data in the Report by dividing average expenditure on cach item by the average price as calculated. When this is done in regard to the food- index, for example, the increase in cost of the quantities so represented, over their cost in 1939, is found to reprosent an Index Figure of about 600 for food prices. But this rough and ready method has obvious drawbacks, and a more direct inquiry into quantities purchased on the average each month would provide a more satisfactory check."
Nevertheless the Statistical Officer's surveys within the limitations we have suggested are the only scientific consideration of the problem made since the University's attempt and the Commission has been grateful for the guidance derived from them.
Evidence from Budgets.
184.
Meantime the Commission received a very large number of budgets from mon in all salary
By close study, ranges in the Government Service. comparison and oxamination of tho people who had submitted them wo. were able to gain a good general impression of how people are living and of the difficulties of nearly all classes of Government servants except skilled and unskilled labourers, who, it is commonly agreed, are living better now than before the war. The men in the professional and administrative grades generally manage to avoid falling into debt, which is not the case among the people whose pay ranges between about $200 and $800 a month. Our examination of a large number of witnesses convinced us that men were drawing on their savings, had used up the greater part of such pay as they may have received for the war years, were driven to all manner of evening and sparetime work in order from month to month to meet essential cxpenditure. Overwork, the worry of debt or of vanishing resources have unquestionably had a serious influence on the officiency of these men, have driven many good mon to seek the butter terms offered in private employ, have created unrest and have tried ihe loyalty of good servants of the Government. The mon on the higher salary ranges have on the whole accepted cheerfully standards of living more austere than are reasonablo in the geographical and climatic conditions of the Colony. A fow of the budgets that we have examined show that among the better paid, small savings can be made, but generally a man's salary appears entirely
There is a to go to meet essential expenditure.
natural anxiety among senior men who find it impossible to supplement by savings, pensions which will become subject to United Kingdom income tax.
Method Chosen.
185.
Using the patterns of expenditure revealed by the Statistical Officer's surveys and extracted from the budgets, wo ours.lves invited
73
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.