§ Captain FAIRFAXasked the Minister of Labour whether there was an increase or a decrease in wages during 1925?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDAccording to my information there was an increase in wages in 1925. The estimate made by my Department and published in the Ministry of Labour Gazette for January was that weekly full-time rates of wages at the end of 1925 averaged between 1 and 2 per cent. higher than at the end of 1924. I would point out further that the cost of living figure at 1st January, 1926, was 175, as compared with 180 at 1st January, 1925, or a decrease of between 2 and 3 per cent.