FOOD AND CLOTHING. 63 



and in higher-wage districts up to 3^ oz. a week are smoked. 

 The amount of beer purchased must largely depend on the 

 character of the man, and also upon the amount of his 

 earnings. The sum of is. a week does not purchase a large 

 amount of beer at 4d. a quart, and yet there would appear 

 to be but little margin for such expenditure in low-wage 

 districts. Some correspondents put the amount spent on 

 beer at between is. and 2s. a week, and more in cases where 

 the man drinks at the expense of the comfort of his family. 

 A large number of farm labourers belong to benefit societies 

 and sick clubs, and in a good many parishes there are 

 clothing, coal, or blanket clubs, to which reference has 

 already been made." 



In conclusion, this part of the report says : 



" Reviewing the available information as to income and 

 expenditure of farm labourers, their estimated average 

 weekly earnings, including all classes (ordinary labourers, 

 and also men in charge of animals), are i8s. 3d., exclusive 

 of earnings of wives and children, and of any profits derived 

 from the sale of home-grown produce. The estimated 

 average weekly value of food consumed by farm labourers' 

 families, comprising two adults and four children, is 133. 6d., 

 this value being based on ordinary retail shop prices, and 

 no allowance being made for the smaller cost of home-grown 

 food. Turning to other expenditure, the rent most usually 

 paid in purely rural districts is is. 6d. a week. Estimating 

 the cost of firing and light at about is. 9d. a week, clothes 

 (say) 33. a week, and club 6d., there is a deficit of 2s. od., 

 if the value of food, the cost of rent, firing, light, clothes, 

 and club is compared with the earnings of the head of 

 the house (without allowing for any expenditure on beer, 

 tobacco, and household requisites). The labourer's garden 

 produce, however, may be valued at 6d. to 2s. a week, is. a 

 week might be realised from poultry-keeping, and 30!. to 4d. 

 a week from keeping a pig. In addition the men's incomes 

 may be supplemented by the earnings of wives and children. 

 The importance to a labourer of having a good garden 

 becomes apparent from these figures. Returns from low- 

 wage districts, where the earnings of an ordinary farm 

 labourer are under i6s. a week (including earnings on 

 account of piecework and harvest), not infrequently give 

 the value of food consumed by the family at los. a week, 

 and sometimes 93. 6d. It may be of interest to give some 

 examples of the class of food eaten in various localities 

 by farm labourers. These examples are not put forward 

 as typical of whole counties, but as illustrations of the 

 customs prevailing in the districts reported on by those 

 who undertook to make investigations." 



