222 



Agricultural Wages in June. 



the corresponding period in 1898, and in some districts 

 slight increases took place. Women workers and domestic 

 servants were, however, scarce, as has been the case for 

 some years, and their wages accordingly showed an upward 

 tendency. 



At the annual spring hiring fairs in the border counties 

 and in the Lothians, ploughmen obtained between 15s. and 

 1 8s. a week with cottages free, allowances of meal and pota- 

 toes, and coals carted free, and frequently food and drink 

 during harvest. Sometimes milk was also given, and 

 straw for pig"s. In some cases higher wages were given, and 

 fewer perquisites. Women workers in the border counties 

 got from 8s. to 10s. a week, with 20s. to 30s. extra at harvest, 

 and in the Lothians about the same weekly wages, and from 

 3s. to 5s. extra per week during potato lifting and grain 

 harvest. 



In other parts of Scotland, at the half-yearly hirings, first 

 horsemen as a rule got from £14 to £ij for the half-year, and 

 in some cases up to £1 8 or £ig y with the usual perquisites ; 

 other horsemen got from £10 to £14, with the usual per- 

 quisites ; and cattlemen from £10 to £19 for the half-year, 

 with perquisites. 



In some of the Forfarshire fairs a rise of wages took place, 

 specially good men getting advances of from 10s. to 40s. for 

 the half-year. In some of the numerous fairs in Aberdeen- 

 shire, and also in the County of Banff, slight increases were 

 reported. As a rule, in the counties north of the Spey there 

 were generally very few changes in wages. In some instanc es 

 usually in the case of men changing their places, there were 

 slight advances, and in a very few cases, notably at Elgin, 

 small reductions from the rates paid twelve months ago. 



Agricultural Wages in June, 1899. 



The Labour Gazette for July, 1899, contains information re- 

 ceived by the Board of Trade from a number of correspon- 

 dents in England as to the rates of weekly cash wages paid 

 to ordinary agricultural labourers in June, 1899, as compared 



