Changes in Average Wages in New South Wales, 1823-98

Changes in Average Wages in New South Wales, 1823-98Author(s): George H. WoodSource: Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Vol. 64, No. 2 (Jun., 1901), pp. 327-335Published by: Wiley for the Royal Statistical SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2979951 .

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1901.] Changes iu Average Wages in New South Wales. 327

TABLE D.-Cities.

Variation per Cent. in 1901. Females to i,ooo Males. City. _

Total. Males. Females. 1891. 1901.

Calcutta .. + 24-3 + 26-16 + 20-93 554 53 1

Bombay .. - 6g - 8'35 - `51 586 623 Madras.. + 12'57 + 13-94 + II-20 1,004 980 Mandalay ......... - 3.36 - 094 - 5 69 1,019 970 Rangoon .......,.... + 28 83 + 30 59 + 24 90 445 426 Karacbi.. + 9-70 + 7-61 + 1V275 683 7I6 Cawnpore.. + 439 + 4`17 + 4-67 768 772 Amritsar. + I8-85 + 18-29 + 19-61 736 744 Delhi . . + 82 i + 8-47 + 7-88 822 8i8 Lahore . . -32*I I -36 64 - 25-54 689 8io Lucknow .............. - 3-32 - 3-56 - 3.05 872 876 Allahabad ............. + oz28 - 0'62 + I.35 849 865 Nagpur .............. + 6-48 + 5-24 + 7*82 929 95' Hydrabad ............. + 7*5 3 + 7-15 + 7 93 918 925 Jaipur .............. + o4 I - 0-87 + I.84 889 914 Baroda.. -o86 -10-93 - o;76 851 853 IBenares ................ - 7.46 - 9-52 - 5. I8 907 95I Surat . . + 8-3 6 + 8-58 + 8i * I 948 944 Poona . . -3091 -35 01 - z6-6 853 967 rTrichinopolv + 15-54 + 16-13 + 14-97 1,055 1,045 Madura.. + 2o67 + 19-27 + 22'08 992 I,OI5 Agr-T.................... + 1i1-64 + 11-66 + i i-6z 855 854

VIII.-Changes in Average TVages in New Soutth Wales, 1823-98.

By GEORGE H. WOOD.

THE material on which the present paper is based is taken from the " Wealth and Progress of New South Wales," 1899-1900, by T. A. Coghlan, Statistician of that colony. A correct and continuous record of wages has apparently been kept, for, as far as it goes, it is surprisingly complete. Unfortunately, it does not cover many classes of wage-earners, but this may perhaps be accounted for in the absence of extensive division of labour usual in our colonies until comparatively recent years.

The following table shows the changes in average wages of each class of worker for whom they are quoted over a number of years. For economy of space I have given the wage taken as base (usually 1891), and have converted the series into index numbers on the basis of 1891= ioo. There is an unfortunate gap in the figures, agricultural wages for 1853-58 being missing; but in view of the great rush to the gold fields in those years, there may have been an almost complete absence of agriculture. It is almost certain that what of such work was done, was paid for at an extremely high price.



328 Mliscella.nea. [June,

TABLE 1.-Variations of Averagqe Wages in New South WVales, 1823-98. 1891 = Tioo.

Occupationis. Base. 1823.'3. '35. '36. '38. '40. '43.'4.45 '6.47

Dailv. Indvstrial. s. d.

Carpenters ........... 6 63 63 7 1 66 68 84 53 42 42 54 58 Bricklayers ............ a - 60 50 6 5 72 65 70 50 40 40 52 55 Masons ..............ia-- -- - --7 0 50 40 40 52 55 Plasterers ..10........io- '5 '55570 6562 610 - Painters............. 96 -53 -56 -63 - - - - Labourers and navvies 8 - 37 37 50 56 56 - - Blacksmithis......... 9 8 62 72 72 69 72 72 52 41 41 53 57 Boilermakers......... 98 - - -?-- - - Wheelwrights....... 8/6 r-- 8 8 57 57 62 62 57 69 41 36 34 48 52

Agricultural. Weekly. Farm labourers .......i5 4 56 56 56 56 62 62 37 37 45 50 57 Shepherds ............ /4 = I 15 ? ? ? - 78 40 40 49 57 66

-Domestic. Housemaids............1441 41 41 41 47 47 Laundresses.........i8- ? ?39 26 26 32 37 41 Nursemaids......... 86 ? ?4 5 45 45 5 4 68 73 General servants ..... 4 - ? ?44 33 33 44 44 49 Cooks ...............25 -i ---3 1 31 2 23 28 31 34 Dairywomen ......... /- =70 28 33 35 35 35 39 28 28 33 44 47

Average (unweighted) - 47 48 55 54 54 58 ~40 36 40 49 53

Occupations. Base. 1848. '49. '50. '5 1. '52. '53. '54. '55. '56. '57.

D)aily. Indnustrial. s. d.

Carpenters ........... 6 55 50 47 68 95 131 184 142 14.2 116 Bricklayers ...........ao - 52 47 45 60 90 155 275 215 170 140 Masons.s............io - 52 47 45 77 90 160 275 - 137 140 Plasterers ............i 160 275 150 150 140 Painters ...........: 9 6? ??? 156 142 116 105 Labourers and navvies 8 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? - -

Blacksmiths ......... 9 8 54 49 47 69 93 132 233 155 109 I124 Boilermakers ......... 9 8? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?- - -

Wlieelwrights....... 8/6 = 88 54 49 47 65 93 155 197 155 135 135

Agricultural. Weekly. Farm labourers .......i5 4 52 45 45) 50 70 Shepherds ...........15/4 = ia 5 60 52 52 57 81

.Domestic.-__-- -- - --

Housemsaids ......... . - 47 38 36 44 44 47 60 60 58 47 Laundresses .........a8 - 39 32 32 3.5 43 43 61 61 52 50 Nursemaids ......... 8 6 73 41 41 41 73 77 82 82 82182 General ser-vants ....14- 44 38 38 44 47 4.9 77 63 60 63 Cooks.............. . 2 5- 32 26 26 31 34 37 43 43 38 43 Dairywomen .......... 9/- =70 44 33 31 36 39 42 69 61 55 53

A-verage (unweighted) - 50 41 41 52 69 99 151 111 100 95



1901.] Changes in Average Wages in New Sout7h Wales. 329

TABLE 1.- Variations of Average WVages in Netw South Wales, 1823-98. 1891 = Ioo-Contd.

Occupations. Base. 1858. '59. '60. '61. '62. '63. '64. '65. '66. '67.

Daily.

Industrial. s. d. Carpenters ................ 9 6 105 100 110 105 105 95 90 90 90 90 Bricklayers ................. Io - 110 105 105 110 130 100 95 95 95 95 Masons ................. io - 107 97 115 117 100 100 100 100 100 100 Plasterers ................ 0 lo - _ Painters ................ 9 6 _ _ Labourers and navvies 8 - ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Blacksmiths ................ 9 8 109 98 109 104 104 98 98 98 98 98 Boilermakers .. 9 8? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? -

Wheelwrights ............ 8/6 = 88 109 98 104 109 109 98 98 98 98 98

Agricultural. Weeklv. Farm labourers ............ I 5 4 - 87 87 87 87 85 75 75 75 75 Shepherds ... ... I514 = I I -5 93 93 93 100 98 98 98 98 98

Domestic. Housemaids ................ I - 63 47 56 62 63 64 64 64 64 64 Laundresses ................ I8 - 56 48 59 59 76 61 61 50 55 55 Nurseniaids ................ 8 6 87 75 79 79 91 94 94 94 82 82 General servants -........ 14 - 69 62 59 62 69 71 71 64 64 64 Cooks ....... 25 - 40 42 42 42 51 44 44 48 40 44 Dairywomen ................ 9/- 7c 69 49 60 63 61 61 61 61 65 65

Average (unweighted) 84 77 83 84 88 82 81 80 79 79

Occupations. Base. 1868. '69. '70. '71. '72. '73. '74. '75 76 77.

Daily.

:Indtustrial. s. d. Carpenters ................ 9 6 90 84 90 90 95 10a 95 100 105 112 Bricklayers ................. Io - 95 85 105 90 9a 100 110 110 120 110 Masons ................. io - 100 85 95 85 95 100 110 110 110 110 Plasterers ................. 0io - - - 100 100 110 110 120 115 Painters ................ 9 6 95 95 95 100 100 100 Labourers and navvies 8 - _ 87 87 87 87 87 87 Blacksmiiths ................ 9 8 98 98 104 88 93 104 114 106 114 114 Boilermakers ................ 9 8 - - 94 104 104 104 104 104 Wheelwrights ............ 8/6 =-- 88 98 88 85 &'., _

Agricultural, Weekly. Farm labourers ............ I5 4 75 80 83 70 91 85 91 98 98 98 Shepherds ................... 15/14= 115 98 98 96 81 105 105 105 113 113 113

Domestic. Housemaids ................ 24 - 71 64 64 64 64 75 75 79 82 82 Laundresses ................ 18 - 67 60 60 60 58 58 75 78 81 81 Nurseinaids ................ 8 6 94 94 94 94 88 106 106 117 123 123 General servants ......... 4 - 79 71 75 64 71 75 75 89 100 100 Cooks ..5................ -5 44 45 43 46 42 54 54 54 64 64 Dairywomien ................ 9/-,- 7 72 65 65 - _

Average (unweighted) - 83 78 81 76 85 90 94 97 101 101



330 Miscellanea. [June,

TABLE 1.-Variationsof Average Wages in New South WTales, 1823-98. 1891 = ioo-Contd.

Occupations. BRse. 1878. '79. '80. '81. '82. '83. '84. '85. '86. '87.

Daily.

Industrial. s. d. Carpenters ................ 9 6 112 112 105 105 116 116 116 116 95 100 Bricklayers .............. I - 110 110 110 110 125 125 125 125 110 115 Masons ................ I - 105 105 105 105 115 115 115 115 110 105 Plasterers ................ I - 110 115 115 115 120 120 120 125 110 110 Painters ................ 9 6 lOO 100 100 100 116 116 116 116 95 95 Labourers and navvies 8 - 87 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 :Blacksmiths ................ 9 8 104 104 104 98 104 104 104 104 98 110 Boilermakers ................ 9 8 104 104 99 98 98 98 98 98 104 105 Wheelwriglits ......... 8/6 88 - _ _ _ _ _ _

Agricultural. Weely. Farm labourers ............ 15 4 98 98 98 98 114 114 114 114 111 115 Shepherds ............ 15/4 = II5 109 109) 109 109 113 113 113 113 113 115

Domestic. House-aidst.i . - 82 82 82 82 93 93 93 93 93 97 Laundresses ............. .. i8 - 81 81 81 81 97 97 97 97 97 103 Nurseniaids ................ 8 6 123 135 135 135 135 135 135 135 135 133 General servants ........ 14 - 100 100 100 100 107 107 107 107 107 124 Cooks .5................ -5 70 74 74 74 74 74 74 74 74 84 Dairywomen ........ 9/-.-70 - _ _

Average (unweighted) _ 100 102 101 100 108 108 108 108 103 107

Occupations. Base. 1888. '89. '90. '91. '92-3. '93-4. '95. '96. '97. '98.

Daily. Ind ustrial. s. d.

Carpenters ................ 9 6 110 116 100 10O 100 100 84 84 90 95 Bricklayers ................ 10 - 10o 110 100 100 95 85 90 90 90 Masons ................. IO - 105 110 100 ,, 97 85 77 90 90 90 Plasterers ................. o o - 110 105 105 ,, 100 85 70 70 80 80 Painters ................ 9 6 95 100 100 ,, 95 84 74 74 84 84 Labourers and navvies 8 - 100 100 100 , 82 75 75 75 75 81 Blacksmiths ................ o 8 100 88 88 ,, 100 83 69 88 93 93 Boilermakers ................ 9 8 93 104 104 ,, 104 93 83 88 104 104 Wheelwrights ........ 8/6 = 88 - - _ - _

Agricultural. Weekly. Farm labourers .......... 15 4 115 100 100 ,, 88 81 81 81 88 91 Shepherds ...1. /=.. 3 II5 115 - - -

Domestic. Housemaids ................ 24 - 97 100 100 ,, 71 71 71 71 79 79 Laundresses ................ i8 - 103 100 100 7 78 78 78 78 83 83 Nursemaids ................ 8 6 113 100 100 ,, 100 88 88 88 88 88 General servants ........ I4 - 96 100 100 ,, 82 82 82 82 82 82 Cooks ......... ....... 25 - 84 100 100 , 56 56 56 56 56 56 Dairywomen ....... 9/-= 70 - - -

Average (unweighted) 103 102 100 100 90 83 77 80 84 86



1901.] Changes in Average Wages in New South Wales. 331

Here arises the question of the accuracy of the resulting averages. Those given at the foot of the table are the simple nnweighted averages of the numbers in each column, and for the

first five years were calcuLlated on the basis of a uniform chainge for all women workers. These results undoubtedly give an idea of the course of average wages, but it is not certain that the levels of each year are correct. The range of the numbers in each colunmn is generally so great that by weighting by different systems greatly divergent results would be produced. As the material for a more elaborate method is not procurable, I have taken the unweiglited averages of the three groups industrial, agricultural, and domestic, and weighted these in the proportions of 8, 9, and 2 respectively. These proportions are approximately those of the census of 1891:-

TABLE 2.-Average Wagqes of certain Groups.

Years. Indtustrial. Agricultural. Domestic. Weighted Average Average, from Table 1.

1823 ... 56 56 28 53 47 '33 ....... 85 56 33 53 48 '35 .. 65 56 35 58 55 '36 ....... 64 56 35 57 54 '38 ....... 63 62 35 60 54

1840 ... 70 71 40 67 58 '43 ....... 49 38 33 42 40 '44 ........ 4 38 33 38 36 '45 ....... 39 7 40 40 '46 ....... 5 53 45 52 49 '47 ....... 55 61 48 57 53 '48 ....... 53 55 46 54 50 '49 ....... 48 48 3 5 47 41

1850 ........ 46 48 34 46 41 '51 ....... 68 53 38 58 52 '52 ....... 93 75 47 81 69 '53 ....... 149 - 49 129 99 '54 ... zz8 - 65 195 I5 '55 ....... i 6o - 6z 140 III

'56 , 137 _ 57 121 I00 '57 . 29 56 114 95 '58 108 - 64 99 84 '59 ........ .... 90 54 90 77

1860 I. 09 ..... lo 90 59 95 83 '61 109. 09.. .lo 90 64 95 84 '62 .. I0..... o.. 93 68 97 88 '63 98 98 91 66 91 8z '64 ........ 96 86 66 88 8 i

''65 ........ 96 86 63 88 80 '66 ........ 96 86 6z 88 79 '67 ........ 96 86 6z 88 79 '68 ........ 96 86 7 1 89 83 '69 ........ 88 89 66 86 78



332 Miscellanea. [June,

TABLE 2.-Average Wages of certain Groups-Contd.

Years. Industrial. AWeighted Average Average, fr-om Table 1.

1870 ..... 96 94 67 92 8 I '71 ..... 88 75 66 81 76 '72 ...... 94 98 65 93 85 '73 ..... 99 95 74 94 go '74 ........ 103 102 77 100 94 '75 ... IO3 105 83 102 97 '76 ........ 107 105 90 104 IOl

'77 io6 105 90 104 ioi '78 0..... I05 103 9 1 103 100 '79 ..... io6 103 92 103 Jo.

1880 . 0..... 14 103 92 102 101 '81 .4..... 04 103 92 102 Ioo '82 ..... I I 2 113 ioa 111 io8 '83 ..... 1 I 2 113 101 111 io8 '84 ..... I I 2 113 lOI 111 io8 '85 ..... II, 113 10I 111 Io8 '86 ...0.. 13 112 IOI 107 103 '87 ..... 105 115 io8 110 107 '88 ..... IOZ 115 99 108 103 '89 . 0..... 14 100 IOO 102 IO

1890 0..... IOO 100 IOO 100 100

'91 100 100 100 1OO 100 '92-93.... 97 88 77 91 go '93-94 ... 87 81 75 83 83 '95 ...... 77 81 75 79 77 '96 ...... 8z 81 75 81 8o '97 ..... 88 88 78 88 84 '98 ...... 9 91 78 90 86

Here we are probably on surer ground. Taking the industrial workers only, we find that, except in the inflated years, the unweighted average does not materially disagree with averages obtained by two systems of weights. Of these " A " were obtained from the number of letters in consecutive words on a printed card, and " B " were the numbers officially returned as having employment found for them in 1840. The unweighted average keeps between those obtained by these systems in almost every case. The following are the results:-



1901.] Changes in Average Wages in New South Wales. 333

TABLz 3.-Showingq thte W1'eighted atzd Unwueighted Averages of Variations in the Wages of certain Wfrorkmen, 1891 _ I00.

Weighlts. Oc(npations. 1823. 1810. 1850. 1854. 1860. 1870. 1880. 1891. 1895. 1898.

_______ ~~~ ~~A. B.

Carpenters ............... 3 83 63 84 47 184 110 90 105 100 84 95

Bricklayers ............... 11 9 60 70 45 275 105 103 110 100 85 90

Masons ................ 9 30 - 70 45 275 115 95 105 100 77 90

Plasterers ................ 7 4 53 60 - 275 _ 115 100 70 80

Painters . .............. 3 4 4 63 156 - 100 100 74 84

Labourers and navvies 10 69 37 - _ 100 100 75 81

Blacksmiths ............... 2 59 62 72 47 233 109 104 104 100 69 93

Boilermakers ........ - - 99 100 83 104

Wheelwrights ........ . 5 7 69 47 197 104 85 - - -

!-- ..-- ~~~~~- Average . . . 50 300 56 70 46 228 109 96 105 100 77 90

Weighted average, A 56 69 46 247 109 97 106 100 78 88

B 55 74 47 209 109 95 103 100 77 90

When considering Table 2, it will be seen that, except that the unweighted averages keep consistently lower than the weighted averages, these results are fairly consistent, and enable us to generalise with fair certainty. From 1823-98 the average increase is about 70 per cent., but owing to a depressioni which commenced about 1886, and a bank crisis in 1893, wages are not so high now as in the "eighties" by 10 to 20 per cent. From 1860 to 1886 the growth was fairly even, contrasting rather with the course of wages in Great Britain, where a great increase took place between 1860 and 1874, and a serious decrease afterwards, which was not made up until 1891. The great increase in the remuneration of women engaged in domestic service is specially noticeable, being considerable over 150 per cent. duriing the whole period.

Mr. Coghian has not only averaged these figures, but has also procured some results as to retail prices and real wages. While giving the complete table as it stands (p. 528), it is only with Cols. 1 and 2 that we are now colncerned. It must be confessed that the results when compared with those given in Cols. 8 and 9 are not very similar, for while he finds an increase of 29 per cent. over the whole period, the results shown in Table 2 indicate a much larger rate of increase, viz., 57 per cont. It is noticeable, however, that the results for 1853-58 on the basis of 1821-37 = i,ooO are very close.

VOL. LXIV. P'AR'I 1 . 2 A



334 Mliscellaea. [June,

WYages, Prwces, and Real l1ages, New South Wales, 1821-98 = 1,ooo.

Level of Price Leyel of Level of Average Principal MAonev Wages from

MTonley Molsges. Alticles of Food. Real Wages. 'fable 2.

1821-37. 1893-98. 1823-37. 1893-98. 1823-37. 1893-98. 1823-37. 1893-98.

1821-37 1,000 774 1,000 1,476 1,000 524 1,000 635

'38-42 1,154 8K3 1,032 1,524 1,118 586 1,040 66o

'43-52 769 595 712 1,051 1,080 566 957 607

53-58 2,400 1,858 1,301 1,920 1,845 968 2,+78 1,560

59-62 1,615 1,250 1,147 1,693 1,408 738 1,735 1,102

'63-72 1,461 1,131 865 1276 1,689 886 i,6z,8 I,034

'73-92 1,583 1,225 809 1,194 1,957 1,026 i,8Zo 1,1 56

'93-98 1,292 1,000 678 1,000 1,906 1,000 1,575 1,000

The following notes on the irdustrial hiistory of the colonv may be of interest. The practice of assigning prisoners to selectors ceased in 1838, and this event led to a considerable influx of immigrants, by making the introduction of free labourers impera- tive. The year 1839 was marked by a great increase in wages.

Tie extremely un,settled conditionis prevailing during 1840 and 1841 had a corresponding effect on rates of wages.

The wages obtained in 1844-45 were probably the lowest paid in any year from the founidation of the colony, and were probably lower than those obtained in England during thle same period.

The depression was spent in 1845: 185l1 was the year of the oold discoveries: 1854 witnessed the culminating point of the inflation as regards earnings in the most prominent callings. Men left their work to go to the diggings, and many branches of industries were coming to a standstill for want of men to carry them on.

In 1871 workmen in the metropolis convened meetings to protest against the reductions of wages; nevertheless there were number-s who could not obtain employment.

Froni 1872-86 the importation of capital had a marked effect on waffges. During the fifteen years which closed with the year 1890, an amount of 44 million ? was received; 6,228,0001. coming in 1885, and 5,392,000l. in the following oyear. At nio period,. except in the golden years 1853-58, were wages so high, and at no time was the purchasing power of money so great.

The tide turned in 1886-87, and in 1893 a bank crisis took place, the effects of which were felt immediately. Wages fell till 1895, but signs of recovery came in 1896, and the outlook seems brighter once more.



1901.] Changes in Average Wages in New Soth t tWales. 335

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Changes in Average Wages in New South Wales, 1823-98