It was found, however, that the difference between the "weights" obtained by the first and by the second methods were so small as to be quite negligible, as is shown by the following tables:—
| Percentage increases from July, 1914, to March, 1922, as shown bythe application of Post Office Prices.[A] | ||||||
| Budget Grouping. | Food. | Clothing. | Rent. | Fuel and Light. | Sundries. | Total for all Items. |
| S+C+A | 99.8 | 97.1 | 27.3 | 120.6 | 104.2 | 95.5 |
| S+C+3A | 99.9 | 97.3 | 27.3 | 124.9 | 104.1 | 95.7 |
| Percentage increases from July, 1914, to March, 1922, as shown by the application of Ministry of Labour and Ministry of Local Government Prices. | ||||||
| Budget Grouping. | Food. | Clothing. | Rent.[A] | Fuel and Light. | Sundries. | Total for all Items. |
| S+C+A | 88.2 | 91.4 | 27.3 | 116.8 | 97.0 | 86.9 |
| S+C+3A | 88.3 | 92.0 | 27.3 | 117.2 | 96.9 | 87.0 |
| [A: Figures obtained for Local Government Board only.] | ||||||
It may be mentioned here that if weights are obtained for the "S" group of households only, i.e., for an average of two adults, and 3.5 children, the final increase in the cost of living figures would be 91.2 for March, 1922, and 84.6 for June, 1922, i.e., practically identical with the figures obtained by "weighting" in accordance with all the budgets.
(4) Table of Weights.
The following Table shows the actual Irish "weights," representing the proportionate expenditure by the average wage-earning household on the various commodities, as compiled from the budgets received.
The actual Irish weights or proportions of expenditure on each item are as follow:—
Notes on the Budgets.