Part 6

The last column shows that in general the difference between Post Office, Ministry of Labour and Ministry of Local Government was 2.3 per cent. of the mean for prices returned for March, 1922, and 1.4 per cent. of the mean for prices returned for June, 1922--surely a small difference considering the instability of prices.

(b) Sundries.

A point of some importance is the following:--

In the British budgets only items of which the price changes could be accurately measured are understood to have been included.

In our Summary all "Sundries" shown in the budgets are included. But as the price change of only about one-third of them could be directly measured it was assumed that the change in the level of the prices of the remaining sundries varied in the same proportion as the change in the other four groups combined.

(D) Results of Different Weighting.

Calculations were also made whereby a final figure could be arrived at by different methods, and the following table shows results obtained:--

PERCENTAGE INCREASES ARISING BY USING BRITISH WEIGHTS.

------------------------------------------------+------------------- |Percentage Increase | in Cost of Living | in Ireland. DIFFERENT METHODS. |----------+--------- | July 1914|July 1914 | to | to |March 1922|June 1922 ------------------------------------------------+----------+--------- a By applying British Weights in 1914 | | to the Committee's Irish Prices of all | | commodities in 1914 and 1922 the percentage | | increase in the Cost of Living | | would be | 84.8 | 80.2 | | b Taking Irish Prices for Food in 1914 as | | collected by the British Board of Trade, | | but the Committee's Prices for all other | | commodities in 1914 and all commodities | | in 1922 the increase would be | 76.6 | 71.0 | | c Taking British Prices for food in the | | "United Kingdom" in 1914, but the Committee's | | Prices for all other commodities in 1914 | | and all commodities in 1922 the increase | | would be | 72.1 | 67.3 ------------------------------------------------+----------+--------- Prices obtained entirely on Irish weights | | and prices, and recommended for adoption | | are | 91.4 | 85.2 ------------------------------------------------+----------+---------

As regards this table it should, however, be pointed out that the commodities selected by us are not in all respects identical with those selected by the British authorities and that the application of the weights, although broadly speaking correct, could not be accurate in every detail.

It only remains for us to express our gratitude for all the assistance given to us by the officials of the Departments already mentioned and by the staff assisting in the actual compilation. Our thanks are especially due to Mr. C. J. Barry, of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction and to the National School teachers who furnished such excellent budgets.

(Signed) JOHN HOOPER, Chairman. T. K. BEWLEY. +T. Mac Giolla Padraig.+ STANLEY LYON. 4th August, 1922.

APPENDIX.

Form A.

DIRECTIONS.

1. All prices should be quoted in pence, and should be cash prices at the shop (not delivered).

2. Please note the quantity mentioned in the first column in each case, and let your figures correspond.

3. If actual prices paid for any item are not available--leave space blank. Do not estimate.

4. The figures quoted for the month of March, 1922, should be those prevailing on the date on which you fill up the form.

5. In the column headed "Observations," please furnish any particulars concerning the retail prices of food in your district, which, in your opinion are worthy of observation.

6. Fill in on the back page of the form particulars of the sources from which information as to the prices of the commodity has been obtained, for example:--

------------+-----------------------------+---------------------- COMMODITY. | SOURCE. | NATURE. ------------+-----------------------------+---------------------- Butter | John Macken, Main Street | Large Shop--Day Book Eggs | Personal knowledge | Direct Country supply Eggs | Mrs. O'Kane, Dublin Road | Household Pass Book ------------+-----------------------------+----------------------

7. The figures representing the majority of the sales are the figures required. Exceptional prices are of no value.

8. In every case you should check your information, whether given of your knowledge or after investigation by enquiry from more than one source.

RETAIL PRICES OF CERTAIN FOOD COMMODITIES IN _________________________ AT UNDERMENTIONED DATES. (City, Town, or District). -----------------------+--------------------+---------+---------+--------- | 1913 | 1914 | 1922 | +----+-----+----+----+---------+---------+ Observa- Commodity |Jan.|April|July|Oct.|Feb.|July|Feb.|Mar.| tions -----------------------+----+-----+----+----+----+----+----+----+--------- Beef (Irish). | | | | | | | | | Best cuts per lb.| | | | | | | | | Second parts lb.| | | | | | | | | Rough meat lb.| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Mutton (Irish). | | | | | | | | | Best cuts lb.| | | | | | | | | Second parts lb.| | | | | | | | | Rough meat lb.| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Bacon. | | | | | | | | | Smoked (piece) lb.| | | | | | | | | Smoked (rashers) lb.| | | | | | | | | Unsmoked (piece) lb.| | | | | | | | | Unsmoked (rashers) lb.| | | | | | | | | Shoulder (piece) lb.| | | | | | | | | Shoulder (rashers) lb.| | | | | | | | | American (piece) lb.| | | | | | | | | American (rashers) lb.| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Fresh Pork. | | | | | | | | | Chops lb.| | | | | | | | | Steaks lb.| | | | | | | | | Puddings lb.| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Sausages. | | | | | | | | | Beef lb.| | | | | | | | | Pork lb.| | | | | | | | | "Limerick" lb.| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Lard lb.| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Dripping lb.| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Butter. | | | | | | | | | Irish Creamery lb.| | | | | | | | | Irish farmer's lb.| | | | | | | | | New Zealand lb.| | | | | | | | | Danish lb.| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Margarine. | | | | | | | | | First Grade lb.| | | | | | | | | Second Grade lb.| | | | | | | | | Third Grade lb.| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Cheese (give brand | | | | | | | | | or other description).| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Eggs. | | | | | | | | | First Grade doz.| | | | | | | | | Second Grade doz.| | | | | | | | | Third Grade doz.| | | | | | | | | Third Grade doz.| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Milk. | | | | | | | | | Fresh quart| | | | | | | | | Buttermilk quart| | | | | | | | | Skim Milk quart| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Tinned Milk. | | | | | | | | | Irish (give size | | | | | | | | | of tin) | | | | | | | | | Imported (give | | | | | | | | | size of tin) | | | | | | | | | Bread (per 2-lb. Loaf) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Flour. | | | | | | | | | Household per stone | | | | | | | | | Household per sack | | | | | | | | | of _ stones. | | | | | | | | | Best American per | | | | | | | | | sack of _ stones. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Meal. | | | | | | | | | Oaten stone| | | | | | | | | Wheaten stone| | | | | | | | | Indian stone| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Rice lb.| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Potatoes stone| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Sugar, White | | | | | | | | | granulated lb.| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Tea. | | | | | | | | | Best quality lb.| | | | | | | | | Cheapest quality lb.| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Coffee, Ground lb.| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Cocoa. | | | | | | | | | Shell lb.| | | | | | | | | Tinned lb.| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Jam, Irish (give name | | | | | | | | | of kind in most | | | | | | | | | demand). | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | -----------------------+----+-----+----+----+----+----+----+----+--------- Please add any | | | | | | | | | information available | | | | | | | | | as to prices of the | | | | | | | | | following commodities,| | | | | | | | | giving description of | | | | | | | | | each item:-- | | | | | | | | | Fish | | | | | | | | | Vegetables lb.| | | | | | | | | Poultry lb.| | | | | | | | | Fruit lb.| | | | | | | | | -----------------------+----+-----+----+----+----+----+----+----+--------- Signature______________________ Date________________

PARTICULARS OF SOURCES from which information has been obtained:--

-------------+---------------------+--------------------------- COMMODITY. | SOURCE. | NATURE. -------------+---------------------+--------------------------- Beef | | Mutton | | Bacon | | Fresh Pork | | Sausages | | Lard | | Dripping | | Butter | | Margarine | | Cheese | | Eggs | | Milk | | Tinned Milk | | Bread | | Flour | | Meal | | Rice | | Potatoes | | Sugar | | Tea | | Coffee | | Cocoa | | Jam | | Fish | | Vegetables | | Poultry | | Fruit | | -------------+---------------------+---------------------------

Form B 1.