738 EEPORT— 1894. 



be ascribed to any other cause than to the attraction of the preat rise in wages at 

 those periods. It must be remembered that the coal-mining industry is in many 

 lespects peculiar, the organisation of the men is very complete, and the principle 

 of the slidirjg scale is everywhere in force, even in those districts where a scale 

 does not actually determine the wages. These latter being then dependent on 

 prices, employers cannot lower their rate of pay when the supply of labour is un- 

 usually large, nor can they raise the remuneration unless there is a corresponding 

 change in the price of coal. It would seem, then, that the numbers depend on the 

 "wages. It does not follow that this condition prevails in every occupation, but it 

 is probable that, according as the organisation of the men in any industry is more 

 compicte, there is a greater tendency in that industry for the numbers employed 

 to follow the wases. 



4. Popular Attitude towards Economics. By Rev. L. R. Phelps, M.A. 



Economics once a rule of conduct, now either contemned or patronised. 

 History of the change of opinion. 

 Reasons for the change : — 



1. On the part of economists : 

 Desertion of the a priori method. 



Attempts to generalise from an existing state of things. 

 Tendency to be content with an historical explanation of facts. 



2. On the part of the public : 



Dislike of exercise of reasoning powers. 



Tendency to substitute an appeal to sentiment for appeal to reason. 



Impatience of slow growths. 



Possible remedies : — 



1. A narrowing and defining of the field of economics. 



2. Education of the public by experience. 



5. On the Relation between Wages, Hours, and Productivity of Labour. 



By J. A. HoBSON, 3£.A. 



Progressive wages. Operative upon different elements of industrial efficiency. 

 Economic limits in several kinds of work. (1) The navvy ; (2) the agricultural 

 labourer; (3) the textile worker. Curves of productivity in relation to rising wag-es. 



Progressive leisure: Two classes of effects: (1) Compression and intensifica- 

 tion of effort per unit time ; (2) improved quality of labour by utilisation of leisure. 

 Curves of productivity as atlected by (1) objective economic conditions of industry ; 

 (2) race, class, climatic and other conditions afl'ecting labour. Relativity of the 

 policy of a short working day. 



Combined action of rising wages and reduced hours of labour. Interdependency 

 of the two. Complex character of the curve expressing the joint action. The 

 assimilation of fresh increments of wages and leisure. 



Progressive wages and leisure dependent upon advancement of industrial arts. 

 Power of the former to direct and stimulate the latter. Limits to this power. 

 Comparison of advanced and backward trades in respect to the progressive policy 

 of wages and hours. Inductive arguments for the Eight Hours' Day. How far 

 valid ? General summary of relations of wages, hours, and productivity. 



