Through the fifteen years which the statistics cover, 1885-1899, the annual average (roughly calculated) has fluctuated within the narrow limits of 8s. 9d. and 10s. 6d.; it was above 10s. in 1888, 1889, 1897, 1898, 1899; below 9s. in 1886 and 1894. This average includes the learners. But when examined more minutely it is seen that the fluctuations week by week and month by month are very rapid. Briefly, there is a change of about 4s. in four-weekly cycles. Thus in November, 1899, the averages for the five weeks were 10s., 11s. 2d., 13s. 9d., 13s. 10d., 12s.
In November the wages are much higher than in July, and evidently more regular in character; the number earning near the average is also greater. Thus the "dispersion" in November is generally about ·2 (the quartiles and median being, for example, 12s., 15s., 18s.); while in July it is generally about ·4 (e.g., 3s. 9d., 6s. 3d., 8s. 9d.). Again, it seems quite doubtful each year whether there will be any July wages worth the name; the median in four weeks selected each year in July changes from 2s. 11d. to 8s. 2d.; while that for selected weeks in November is from 10s. 8d. to 17s. 11d., a smaller proportionate variation.
The majority are piece workers.
The following table shows the wages in two weeks (slack and busy) in 1899. The figures are probably typical of similar weeks in previous years.
| July 14th, 1899. | Nov. 29th, 1899. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| s. | d. | s. | d. | Numbers earning. | Numbers earning. | ||
| From | 24 | 0 | to | 26 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| " | 22 | 0 | " | 24 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| " | 20 | 0 | " | 22 | 0 | 1 | 12 |
| " | 18 | 0 | " | 20 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| " | 16 | 0 | " | 18 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| " | 14 | 0 | " | 16 | 0 | 4 | 14 |
| " | 12 | 0 | " | 14 | 0 | 5 | 10 |
| " | 10 | 0 | " | 12 | 0 | 4 | 11 |
| " | 8 | 0 | " | 10 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| " | 6 | 0 | " | 8 | 0 | 17 | 2 |
| " | 4 | 0 | " | 6 | 0 | 11 | 2 |
| " | 2 | 0 | " | 4 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| " | — | — | " | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| July 14th, 1899: Median, 7s.; Quartiles, 5s. 8d., 9s. 11d.; Dispersion, ·27. Nov. 29th, 1899: Median, 14s. 6d.; Quartiles, 11s. 10d., 19s.; Dispersion,·23. | |||||||
| AVERAGE WAGE. | MEDIAN WAGE. | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Six Months. | 2nd Six Months. | Year. | Week in July. | Week in Nov. | ||||||
| s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | s. | d. | |
| 1885 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 15 | 2 |
| 1886 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 17 | 0 |
| 1887 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 7 |
| 1888 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 14 | 6 |
| 1889 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 17 | 2 |
| 1890 | 10 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 17 | 11 |
| 1891 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 16 | 10 |
| 1892 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 4 |
| 1893 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 10 | 8 |
| 1894 | 8 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 11 |
| 1895 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 4 |
| 1896 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 8 |
| 1897 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 15 | 0 |
| 1898 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 4 |
| 1899 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 3 |
For the 15 years: 1st six months, 9s.; 2nd six months, 10s.; year, 9s. 6d.
FIRM B.—Information obtained.—Wages of five hands tabulated week by week, for years 1886-99, 1887-99, 1896-99, 1898-99, 1899, respectively.
Monthly earnings and half-yearly bonus for all regular hands, 1888-99.