THE RURAL PROBLEM 



17 



This decrease has been estimated by Mr. Chiozza Money at 

 20 per cent, from 1895 to 1911. In the first place, this 

 affects the agricultural labourer especially, because, as he is 

 not in receipt of a living wage, it all comes out of the bare 

 necessities of life in his case. And, in the second place, he 

 has not shared to the same extent in the counterbalancing 

 rise of wages during that period. The rate of wage of the 

 workers generally has risen 12i per cent, since 1895, while 

 the rate of agricultural wages has only risen 9*6 per cent. 

 The Board of Trade Report above quoted gives the 

 following tables : 



Average Weekly Earnings of the " Selected Class " of 

 Agricultural Labourers. 



5. The Cottage Question. 



In the estimates of the cost of living above quoted, rent 

 is given as Is. or Is. 6d. per week. This is based on the 

 Board of Trade Report of 1905, which gave particulars as 

 to the highest rents, lowest rents, and usual rents in the 

 districts where the inquiries were made. The usual rent 

 given varied from Is. to 2s., and Is. 6d. was the most usual 



* Index Numbers based on Cash Wages only. 



