ENG-1946 — Page 29

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papers, and a threatened strike of stevedores, were each settled by wage increases and improvements in working con- ditions. Apart from these major disputes, the department throughout the year was called upon to mediate in a number of minor disputes, to assist in drawing up new conditions of service and to advise on wages. This aspect of the depart- ment's work has become an increasingly important factor in gaining the confidence of both employers and employees.

Cost of Living.

The cost of living for all classes of people has risen greatly as compared with pre-war conditions and considerable adjustments in the levels of wages and salaries have been necessary. During the transitional period under review it was not possible to secure sufficiently comprehensive informa- tion to compile a completely representative cost of living index. Information was however available as to the average retail prices of the staple foodstuffs and other necessities of the wage-earning classes. These prices have fluctuated considerably during the year, owing, in the main, to the irregular supply of these essential commodities. At the end of the year the prices, as compared with 1939 levels, were as follows:

*Rice (3rd grade), per catty in

the free market

Fresh fish, per catty

Salt fish, per catty

Beef, per catty

Pork, per catty

·

Oil, per catty.

Firewood

+

1939. 1946 (end).

$0.07

$0.84

•

$0.28

$1.65

$0.24

$1.95

$0.35

$2.45

$0.54

$3.25

$0.24

$2.30

10 cents

10 cents

for 5.6

for 1

catties.

catty.

Other living costs have increased for all classes of the community. For Europeans it is difficult to estimate the increase, but it can safely be said that it costs at least three times as much to maintain a standard of living considerably lower than that normal in 1941.

Wages.

In the early days of the re-occupation virtually the only sources of employment were to be found within the various branches of the Military Administration and a few of the larger European owned industrial establishments which were in a position immediately to commence the work of reconstruc- tion. The most urgent problem was to establish basic wages for skilled and unskilled industrial labour which, while

*A limited rice ration was supplied at the controlled price of 30 cents per catty.