§ 59. Major Beamishasked the Minister of Labour if he will publish a table showing the average weekly earnings of adult male workers in manufacturing industries during the last pay week for which the figures are known and for the same week in the previous five years; how average weekly earnings have increased as a percentage, counting the first figure shown as 100 in comparison 60W with the percentage rise in the cost of living since the same date; and what rise there has been in the cost of living on the same basis since the latest date shown in the table.
§ Mr. CarrThe following is the reply:
Date Average weekly earnings of adult male workers in the manufacturing industries Index of Retail prices with prices in October, 1951=100 s. d. Index October, 1951 172 1 100 100 October, 1952 184 9 107 107 October, 1953 196 7 114 109 October, 1954 212 3 123 112 October, 1955 231 1 134 118 October, 1956 245 7 143 122 February,1957 — — 124