§ Mr. FELLasked the President of the Board of Trade if he could state the value of the total output of gold in the world for each of the past ten years; and if he had any report to show that such output was now in excess of the requirements of the world and was resulting in a depreciation in the value of gold and a consequent loss of its purchasing power?
Mr. BUXTONIf the hon. Gentleman will allow me, I will have the figures, printed with the Votes. The statistics of wholesale prices during recent years published by the Board of Trade appear to indicate that the large output has been absorbed without such a marked rise in the general level of prices as would indicate a substantial depreciation in the value of gold.
§ Mr. FELLAre the statisticians of the Board of Trade giving their attention to the matter at the present moment, because the rise we are noticing in article against article is attributed by many to this cause?