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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 41

Wages and Prices

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Wages and Prices.

52. Tables showing the rates of labour and the prices of the principal articles of consumption for 1879 and the first year of the two previous quinquennial periods are given in the appendix.

page 27
Table 1.—Victoria.—Population, Births, Deaths, Marriages, Arrivals, and Departures in each Fifth Year, from 1839 to 1879.
Year. Population. Births. Deaths. Marriages. Arrivals. Departures.
1839 5,822 142 67 57 3,221
1844 26,734 1,336 240 328 2,648 1,423
1849 66,220 1,913 593 593 14,618 1,992
1854* 312,307 7,542 6,261 3,765 83.410 34,975
1859 530,262 22,092 9,469 4,769 32,735 19,615
1864 601,343 25,680 8,887 4,554 36.156 21,779
1869 699,790 26,040 10,630 4,735 33.570 22,418
1874 808,437 26,800 12,222 4,925 30.732 27,365
1879 899,333 26,839 12,120 4,986 44,384 39,212
Table II.—Victoria.—Revenue, Expenditure, Imports, Exports, Shipping, in each Fifth Year from 1839 to 1879.
Year. Revenue.† Expenditure.† Imports. Exports, Shipping Inwards and Outwards.
Vessels. Tons
£ £ £ £
1839 74,698 35,849 204,722 77,684 189 20,352
1844 69,913 63,048 151,062 256,847 476 64,562
1849 229,388 140,259 479,831 755,326 944 179,912
1854 3,087,986 4,185,708 17,659,051 11,775,204 5,203 1,593,441
1859 3,261,104 3,393,946 15,622,891 13,867,859 4,082 1,295,649
1864 2,955,338 2,928,903 14,974,815 13,898,384 3,712 1,261,814
1869 3,383,984 3,226,165 13,908,990 13,464,354 4,654 1,452,235
1874 4,106,790 4,177,338 16,953,985 15,441,109 4,222 1,569,619
1879 4,621,620 4,833,379 15,035,538 12,454,170 4,167 1,940,222

* Victoria was separated from New South Wales, and became an independent colony on the 1st July, 1851. The first gold discoveries had been made a few months previously.

† The revenue and expenditure are for the year ended 31st December until 1869, and for the year ended 30th June at the two subsequent periods.

‡ In 1879 articles formerly comprised under this head were distributed under other headings.

Table III.—Victoria.—Imports, 1869, 1874, and 1879, Sixty of the Principal Articles being named.
Articles. 1869. 1874. 1879.
£ £ £
Apparel arid slops 335,642 301,430 282,298
Bags and sacks 101,936 204,831 181,269
Beer, cider, and perry 244,566 295,016 193,498
Books 88,886 128,726 193,235
Boots and shoes 407,273 208,177 179,830
Butter and cheese 100,756 6,886 8,488
Candles 195,853 162,279 35,845
Carpeting and druggeting 63,789 65,328 43,214
Coal 176,501 244,614 354,924
Coffee 65,920 109,682 46,830
Cottons 475,649 692,778 534,124
Cutlery 38,375 43,680 20,298
Drapery 141,587 159,493 ‡
Drugs and chemicals 83,082 80,121 62,237
Earthenware, brownware, and chinaware 42,654 58,525 61,103
Fancy goods 74,130 48,024 33,609
Fish 87,025 121,785 121,436page 28
Flour and biscuit 71,411 8,064 3,734
Fruit (including currants and raisins) 136,566 128,028 139,434
Furniture and upholstery 63,487 47,925 36,161
Glass and glassware 76,397 93,587 102,487
Gloves 61,429 57,822 70,140
Gold (exclusive of specie) 1,415,473 881,717 983,048
Grain, wheat 162,476 28,966 17,029
Grain, oats 139,584 108,538 104,348
Grain, other (including rice) 562,344 429,155 459,169
Haberdashery 175,032 210,440 210,938
Hardware and ironmongery 125,118 87,652 97,940
Hats, caps, and bonnets 127,066 120,003 116,880
Hides, skins, and pelts 21,409 85,912 45,342
Hops 88,890 55,000 35,084
Hosiery 158,216 150,983 107,232
Iron and steel (exclusive of railway rails, &c.) 391,547 564,173 329,915
Jewellery 50,585 55,692 47,505
Leather, leatherware, leather cloth 47,717 119,701 138,657
Linen piece goods 78,498 52,133 35,228
Live stock 712,333 1,178,583 890,126
Machinery 75,745 104,024 86,264
Matches and vestas 41,953 24,619 38,367
Meats—fresh, preserved, and salted 13,266 7,470 9,516
Millinery 84,751 18,957 *
Musical instruments 51,940 61,153 56,968
Nails and screws 67,360 50,910 31,692
Oil 278,845 255,654 219,006
Oilmen's stores 85,947 20,852 15,649
Opium 109,843 58,453 68,806
Paints and colours 29,260 40,253 51,121
Paper (including paper bags) 132,399 161,153 179,624
Silks 228,952 323,609 200,996
Specie 292,753 186,797 261,417
Spirits 347,110 517,723 386,526
Stationery 77,474 74,139 69,339
Sugar and molasses 948,982 1,081,048 1,082,126
Tea 500,140 490,998 513,271
Timber 274,497 478,403 318,187
Tobacco, cigars, and snuff 223,302 278,060 177,792
Tools and utensils 91,145 78483 31,476
Watches, clocks, and watchmakers' materials 22,384 52,008 54,075
Wine 135,223 170,779 91,600
Wool 67,126† 2,026,477 2,493,573
Woollens and woollen piece goods 1,110,493 1,096,870 701,292
Other articles 1,228,898 1,919,644 1,574,220
Totals 13,908,990 16,953,985 15,035,538

* In 1879 articles formerly comprised under this head were distributed under other headings.

† Not including the value of wool imported into Victoria across the Murray

Table IV.—Victoria.—Exports, 1869, 1874, and 1870, Forty Articles being named.
Articles. 1869. 1874. 1879.
£ £ £
Antimony, ore, regulus, &c. 7,070 14,251 13,176
Apparel and slops 75,225 174,996 247,717
Bark 3,734 7,741 14,999
Bones and bone dust 14,208 10,911 7,991page 29
Books 18,034 27,763 76,798
Boots and shoes 43,864 77,357 128,217
Butter and cheese 2,938 9,936 69,714
Candles 24,412 17,253 13,859
Coffee 23,922 39,840 28,677
Drapery 347,812 163,075 *
Flour and biscuit 28,836 60,213 140,124
Gold (exclusive of specie) 6,804,179 4,053,288 1,224,538
Grain, wheat 32 2,956 132,314
Grain, oats 687 2,214 12,172
Grain, other (including rice) 61,959 64,880 88,218
Hardware and ironmongery 50,622 96,328 69,760
Hay and chaff 10,501 7,474 15,695
Hides 19,472 3,923 20,217
Horns and hoofs 1,575 3,783 2,806
Leather and leatherware 110,432 194,479 241,766
Live stock 80,540 113,151 821,296
Machinery 45,900 48,063 75,640
Meats, fresh and preserved 80,835 176,013 84,231
Meats, salted 13,268 6,614 15,609
Oil 62,545 64,884 68,414
Potatoes 33,711 40,891 69,895
Soap 16,022 6,685 10,857
Skins and pelts 40,989 53,070 30,685
Specie, gold† 684,819 1,354,751 1,352,883
Specie, silver 7,000 6,050 32,950
Spirits 237,549 148,448 118,254
Stationery 32,338 47,283 43,652
Sugar 137,662 277,354 230,314
Tallow 237,084 199,564 150,867
Tea 167,846 238,749 105,605
Tin, tin ore, and black sand 18,277 18,329 2,299
Tobacco, cigars, and snuff 139,525 171,668 152,871
Wine 60,536 56,514 47,935
Wool‡ 3,363,075 6,373,676 5,269,634
Woollens and woollen piece goods 29,305 71,621 101,910
Other articles 346,714 926,080 1,639,721
Totals 13,464,354 15,441,109 12,454,170
Table V.—Victoria.—Land in Cultivation and Live Stock in each Fifth Year, from 1839 to 1879.
Year. Acres under Tillage. Horses. Cattle. Sheep.
1839 2,069 1,448 32,454 551,114
1844 16,529 7,076 187,873 1,860,912
1849 45,976 16,733 346,562 5,318,046
1854 64,905 27,038 481,640 6,332,007
1859 358,728 69,288 683,534 5,794,127
1864 479,463 117,182 640,625 8,406,234
1869 827,534 161,830 692,518 9,923,663
1874 1,011,776 180,254 958,658 11,221,036
1879 1,687,400 210,105 1,184,843 9,379,276

* In 1879 articles formerly comprised under this head were distributed under other headings.

† A Mint was established in Melbourne in 1872, and 748,000 sovereigns were coined in that year. From the founding of the Mint to the end of 1879 gold coin to the value of £13,405,000 was issued therefrom; that issued in 1879 being of the value of £2,740,000.

‡ Wool from the adjacent colonies is included in the export returns of all the years; such as came overland was not included in the import returns in 1869.

page 30
Table VI.—Victoria.—Acreage under and Produce of Wheat, Oats, Potatoes, and Hay in each Fifth Year from 1839 to 1879.
Year. Wheat. Oats. Potatoes. Hay.
Acres. Bushels. Acres. Bushels. Acres. Tons. Acres. Tons.
1839 1,302 12,600 252 192
1844 6,919 138,436 3,083 43,361 2,487 12,418 1,773 6,459
1849 24,247 525,190 5,379 129,602 2,151 5,929 11,181 15,640
1854 12,827 250,091 5,341 130,746 3,297 8,383 31,514 53,627
1859 107,092 2,296,157 90,167 2,553,637 27,622 48,967 98,570 135,643
1864 125,040 1,899,378 144,303 2,694,445 31,172 59,828 85,146 97,731
1869 288,514 5,697,056 144,791 3,761,408 41,216 127,645 140,435 224,816
1874 332,936 4,850,165 114,921 2,121,612 35,183 124,310 119,031 157,261
1879 707,738 9,407,503 167,721 4,024,962 41,600 167,986 201,169 291,781
Table VII.—Victoria.—Average Produce per Acre of Wheat, Oats, Potatoes, and Hay in each Year from 1869 to 1879.
Year. Average Produce per Acre of
Wheat. Oats. Potatoes. Hay.
Bushels. Bushels. Tons. Tons.
1869 19.75 25.98 3.09 1.60
1870 10.10 14.98 3.27 1.13
1871 13.45 18.76 3.22 1.40
1872 16.51 19.55 3.45 1.32
1873 13.58 15.69 2.86 1.27
1874 14.57 18.46 3.53 1.32
1875 15.49 21.92 3.37 1.33
1876 13.15 19.91 3.31 1.22
1877 12.41 19.39 3.11 1.18
1878 8.76 17.60 2.71 1.21
1879 13.29 24.00 4.04 1.45
Averages 13.73 19.65 3.27 1.31
Description of Labour. 1869. 1874. 1879. Aqricultural Labour. Farm labourers ... per week, with rations 12s. to 20s. 15s. to 20s. 15s. to 20s. Ploughmen ... ..., 15s. to 20s. 15s. to 20s. 15s. to 20s. Reapers† ... ... per acre 6S. to 10s. 12s. to 15s. 9s. to 10s. Mowers† ... ... per care" 4s. to 8s. 3s. to 5s. 3s. 6d. to 7s. 6d. Thresh erst ... ... per bushel" 3d. to 6d. 5d. to 7d. 5d. to 6d. Pastoral Labour. Shepherds ... ... per annum, with rations £35 to £40 £30 to £50 £25 to £60 Stock-keepers ... ..."" £40 to £50 £35 to £60 £40 to £75 Hutkeeners ... ..."" £25 to £30 £25 to £30 £25 to £40 Generally useful men on stations, per week 15s. to 20s. 15s. to 20s. 14s. to 20s. Sheep washers ... ..."" 15s. to 20s. 15s. to 25s. 15s. to 25s. Shearers ... per 100 sheep sheared" 10s. to 13s. 12s. to 15s. 8s. to 20s. † The reaping, mowing, and threshing has of late years been, to a large extent, done by machinery.

Table vlll.—Victoria.—Average Rates of Wages,* 1869,1874, 1879.

* The rates of wages given are those prevailing in the metropolis. The rates in country districts are generally somewhat higher.

page 31

Description of Labour 1869. 1874. 1879. Artisan Labour.* Masons .... ... ... per day, without rations 8s. to 10s. 11s. 10s. Plasterers ... ..."" 8s. to 108. 10s. 10s. Bricklayers ... ..."" 8s. to 108. 10s. 10s. Carpenters ... ..."" 7s. to 10s. 10s. to 11s. 10s. Blacksmiths ... ..."" 7s. to 9s. 108. to 11s. 10s. to 13s. Servants—Males and Married Couples. Married couples, without families per annum, with board and lodging £40 to £70 £70 to £90 £70 to £90 Married couples, with families ..."" £35 to £60 £40 to £50 £40 to £50 Men cooks on farms and stations ..."" £40 to £60 £50 to £60 £50 Grooms ... ..."" £30 to £40 £40 to £50 £30 to £40 Gardeners ... per week, with board and lodging 20s. to 28s. 20s. to 25s. 15s. to 25s. Servants—Females. Cooks ... per annum, with board and lodging £35 to £40 £40 to £60 £35 to £60 Laundresses" "£30 to £40 £30 to £40 £30 General servants" " £30 to £35 £30 to £35 £30 to £35 Housemaids",," £30 to £35 £30 to £36 £25 to £35 Nursemaids",," £20 to £25 £20 to £35 £20 to £25 Miscellaneous Labour. General labourers ... per day, without rations 6s. to 78. 68. to 78. 6s. to 7s. Stonebreakers ... per cubic yard" 1s. 10d.to 2s. 28. to 3s. 6d. 2s. to 3s. Seamen... ... ... per month, with rations £4 to £5 £5 to £6 £4 10s. to £6 Miners ... ... ... per week, without rations £2 5s. to £3 £2 to £2 10s. £2 to £2 10s.

Articles. 1869. 1874. 1879. Agricultural Produce. Wheat ... per bushel 4s. 9d. to 8s. 4s. 9d. to 7s. 3d. 4s. 8d. to 6s. 1d. Barley ..." 4s. to 68. 3s. to 7s. 1s. 9d. to 7s. 6d. Oats ..." 3s. 6d. to 5s. 6d. 2s. 9d. to 5s. 6d. 2s. 6d. to 4s. 1d. Maize ..." 3s. 4d. to 5s. 1d. 3s. 4d. to 5s. 9d. 2s. 10d. to 3s. 10d. Bran ..." 1s. 4d. to 2s. 1s. to 1s. 4¼d. 1s. to 1s. 3d. Hay ... per ton £4 to £8 10s. £4 to £6 5s. £3 5s. to £6 15s. Flour, first quality" £11 to £18 £12 2s. 6d. to £15 £9 17s. 6d. to £12 15s Bread ... per4-lb. loaf 6d. to 9d. 6d. to 8d. 6d. to 7d. Ghazing Produce. Horses— Draught ... ... each £10 to £50 £12 to £46 £22 to £43 Saddle and harness" £9 to £40 £5 to £40 £8 to £52 10s. Cattle- Fat ... ..." £3 to £14 59. £5 10s. to £13 10s. £4 10s. to £11 10s Milch cows ..." £5 to £10 £5 10s. to £10 10s. £5 to £8 15s. Sheep, fat ... ..." 2s. 6d. to 12s. 6d. 5s. to 20s. 4s. to 19s. Lambs, fat ... ..." 2s. to 10s. 4s. 6d. to 11s. 3s. 6d. to 12s. Butchers meat— Beef, retail ... per lb. 3d. to 7d. 4d. to 9d. 2d. to 7d. Mutton" ..." 1½d. to 5d. 2½d. to 6½d. 1½d. to 4d. Veal" ..." 6d. 5d. to 6d. 5d. to 6d. Pork" ..." 8d. 7d.to 10d. 6d. to 8d. Lamb" per quarter 2s. 6(1. to 3s. 6d. 2s. to 3s. 2s. to 3s. * Throughout Victoria the recognised working day for artisans and labourers is eight hours,

Table IX.—Victoria.—Average Prices,† 1869, 1874, 1879.

† The prices given are those prevailing in the metropolis. In country districts the cost of groceries, tobacco, wine, coal, &c., is naturally higher, and that of agricultural and grazing produce, firewood, &c., naturally lower, than in Melbourne.

page 32

Articles. 1869. 1874. 1879. Dairy Produce. Butter- Colonial. retail ... per lb. 11d. to 2s. 2d. 1s. to 1s. 8d. 8d. to 2s. 2d. Cheese— Colonial retail ..." 6d. to 1s. 4d. 9d. to 1s. 6d. 8d. to 1s. Imported, wholesale" 1s. to 1s. 3d. 1s. to 1s. 3d. 1s. to 1s. 3d. Milk ... per quart 6d. 6d. 4d. to 6d. Farm Yard Produce. Geese ... per couple 7s. to 14s. 7s. to 12s. 7s. to 108. Ducka ..." 4s. to 7s. 5s. to 7s. 4s. 6d. to 7s. Fowls ..." 4s. to 6s. 4s. 6d. to 6s. 6d. 4s. to 68. 6d. Rabbits ..." 1s. 6d. to 4s. 2s. to 4s. 6d. to 3s. Pigeons ..." 2s. to 3s. 2s. to 3s. 1s. to 3s. 4d. Turkeys ... each 6s. to 12s. 6d. 78. to 14s. 6s. to 15s. Sucking pigs" 4s. to 16s. 10s. to 12s. 10s. to 14s. Bacon ... per lb. 10d. to 1s. 2d. 1s. to 1s. 2d. 8½d. to 10d. Ham ..." 1s. to 1s. 4d. 1s. 2d. to 1s. 4d. 11½d. to 1s. 4d. Eggs ... per doz. 1s. to 2s. 2d. 1s. to 2s. 2d. 1s. 8d. to 2s. 6d. Garden Produce. Potatoes— Wholesale per ton £3 to £7 £4 to £4 10s. £2 10s. to £6 Retail ... per lb. ¾d. to Id. ¾d. to 1d. ¾d. to 1d. Onions, dried per cwt. 4s. 6d. to 16s. 9s. to 20s. 5s. to 14s. Carrots per doz. bunches 6d. to 1s. 6d. 6d. to 1s. 6d. to 1s. Turnips" 9d. to 2s. 6d. 6d. to 2s. 6d. to 1s. Radishes" 4d. to 8d. 4d. to 6d. 6d. Cabbages ... per doz. 6d. to 10s. 9d. to 10s. 9d. to 6s. Cauliflowers" 9d. to 4s. 2s. 6d. to 8s. 9d. to 6s. Lettuces ..." 3d. to 1s. 6d. 2d. to 2s. 6d. to 2s. Green peas ... per lb. 1d. to 4d. 1½d. to 4d. 1d. to 5d. Miscellaneous Articles. Tea (duty paid) per lb. £110s. to £13d chest 7d. to 3s. 8d. to 3s. 6d. Coffee (in bond" 6d. to 10d. 7¾d. to 1s. 6½d. 10d. to 1s. 4½d. Sugar (duty paid) per ton £25 to £53 £25 to £52 £27 to £48 Rice ..." £18 to £23 £16 10s. to £25 £19 to £30 Tobacco (in bond) per lb. 6d. to 1s. 7d. 8d. to 1s. 7½d. 8½d. to 2s. Soap, colonial per ton £29 £21 to £29 £20 to £30 Candles- Tallow ... per lb. 4½d. 4¼d. to 4½d. 4¾d. Sperm, stearine, paraffine, &c." 9d. to 1s. 0½d. 10d. to 10¾d. 8½d. to 1s. 3d. Salt ... per ton £4 to £5 10s. £4 10s. to £6 10s. £4 to £5 5s. Coals ..." 21s. to 21s. 6d. 35s. to 37s. 6d. 28s. to 34s. Firewood ..." 8s. to 12s. 12s. 6d. to 14s. 9s. to 12s. Wines, Spirits, &c. Ale (duty paid) per hhd. £4 15s. to £8 10s. £7 to £9 5s. £7 to £9 ,," per doz. 7s. 6d. to 10s. 6d. 8s. to 12s. 6d. 6s. 6d. to 11s. Porter" per hhd. £3 10s. to £6 17s. £5 5s. to £7 10s. £7 5s. to £7 10s. ,," per doz. 7s. to 10s. 8s. 6d. to 13s. 3d. 6s. 6d. to 108. 3d. Brandy (in bond) per gal. 5s. 6d. to 8s. 5s. to 10s. 6d. 5s. 3d. to 9s. 1½d. Rum"" 3s. 4½d. to 4s. 6d. 3s. 9d. to 4s. 3d. 2s. 9d. to 4s. Whisky"" 4s. to 6s. 6d. 5s. to 6s. 6d. 4s. 3d. to 7s. 6d. Hollands"" 3s. to 4s. 9d. 3s. 1d. to 4s. 3s. to 4s. 6d. Port Wine" per pipe £20 to £100 £20 to £100 £21 to £120 Sherry" per butt £20 to £120 £20 to £120 £20 to £135 ,, (duty paid) per doz. 20s. to 80s. 20s. to 85s. 40s. to 110s. Claret ..." 11s. 6d. to 100s. 11s. 6d. to 100s. 13s. to 85s. Champagne ..." 30s. to 75s. 30s. to 95s. 30s. to 85s.

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