§ Mr. FOLJAMBEasked the President of the Board of Trade, If he will state, with reference to the Return of Weekly Averages of Agricultural Produce, on what bases the highest and lowest weekly corn averages were calculated; and, whether the yearly average was calculated on the difference between the highest and lowest weekly average of the year, or on the general weekly averages throughout the year, and from what markets, metropolitan or provincial, were the averages compiled?
§ MR. J. G. TALBOTSir, the corn averages in the Return of Weekly Averages of Agricultural Produce are those published weekly and annually in The London Gazette as directed by the Acts for that purpose. Those now in force are 5 Vict. s. 2, c. 14, and 27 & 28 Vict. c. 87. The basis of the weekly average is the division of the aggregate proceeds of all the sales by the aggregate of quantities sold. The yearly average is not the difference between the highest and lowest weekly average of the year, but is made up from the Returns of all the weeks throughout the year. The averages are compiled from all the markets prescribed by the Acts, Metropolitan and Provincial together.