been kept up to date, month by month, and published in the LABOUR GAZETTE each month since August, 1915.

In addition to the statistics as to retail prices of food and fuel, and as to rates for rent, the Department, since 1919, secured figcres as to retail prices of staple lines of clothing, including footwear, from retail dealers throughout Canada, for the years 1913-1920. The figures relate to prices prevailing at the end of the year in each case, but since 1920 prices during the spring have been secured.. From these quotations the percentages of changes in the cost of clothing have been calculated. Information was also secured as to the prices of household supplies, furniture, furnishings, etc., and an estimate has been made as to the percentage changes in the cost of miscellaneous items, the effect of the information gathered showing that such changes are approximately equal to the average changes in other items. These percentages of changes in the cost of clothing and sundries, with the percentage changes in food, fuel and rent, cai

culated from the weekly budget published in the LABOUR GAZETTE from month to month, constitute a tentative cost of living index number, weighted according to the family budget method, based on prices in 1913, pending the calculation of a more complete index number in process of construction. The figures in clothing and sundries are to be regarded as merely approximate owing to difficulties in dealing with apparent changes in the grades of the items for which quotations are obtained. This calculation was first published in the LABOUR GAZETTE in March, 1921, and has been published from time to time since, quarterly figures being given for each year as in the accompanying table.

The accompanying tables of family budget figures show the movement by commodities in terms of average prices for the Dominion and by groups for each province.

The cost per week for the family budget of twenty-nine staple foods was on a somewhat higher level during 1925 than at any time

(a) Figure for previous month.

during the last four years, except for the months of March and April, 1923, and by the end of 1925 was higher than at any time since May, 1921. The higher level was due mainly to the higher prices prevailing throughout the year for flour, bread, pork and bacon, and towards the end of the year to increases also in the prices of potatoes, butter and cheese.

Prices for beef have showed little variation since 1922, except for the usual seasonal fluctuations of a rise from the beginning of the year to midsummer, followed by a decline in the last half of the year. During 1925 sirloin steak rose from an average of 27.1 cents per pound in January to a high price of 30.2 cents in July, and then declined steadily to 27.4 cents in December. Shoulder roast showed a similar movement, advancing from an average of 14.2 cents per pound to 17.1 cents and later declining to 14.7 cents. Prices of

(k) Cost of food budget. (2) Gold

mutton have remained steady since 1921, showing a seasonal range similar to that in beef of approximately two cents per pound. In 1925 the price rose from an average of 27.6 cents per pound in January to 29.6 cents in May and then declined to 28.6 cents by the end of the year. Fresh pork was relatively high during 1925; prices during 1923 varied between 24.5 cents per pound and 27 cents; throughout 1924 a somewhat lower level, ranging from 23 to 25.5 cents per pound, prevailed, followed by a substantial advance commencing with a price of 24.1 cents per pound in January, 1925, and continuing until September, when the price of 29.3 cents per pound was reached. By December however the price had fallen to 28 cents. Salt pork, bacon and lard showed a movement similar to that in fresh pork. Salt pork advanced from an average of 23.4 cents per pound in January to 26.9 cents in November and then declined slightly.

Bacon was 33.7 cents in January and 41.7 cents in November. Lard in 1925 fluctuated between a price of 23.3 cents per pound in January and 24.8 cents in November as compared with a low in 1924 of 20.6 cents per pound in June and a high of 23.3 cents in December. The movement in pork and bacon prices resulted from the large supplies of hogs marketed in 1924, due to a decreased corn production in the United States followed in 1925 by diminished supplies with strong British markets.

Eggs showed about the same seasonal fluctuations in 1925 as in previous years, fresh moving from an average of 66.9 cents per dozen in January downward to 34.0 cents in May and then up to 64.7 cents in December. Milk prices showed little variation during the year, being only slightly lower in the summer months. The price in 1924 was somewhat higher than in 1923 or 1925. Butter prices

13378-2

Base is average for six capital towns. (n) No figures published.

throughout the greater part of 1925 were higher than in the previous year, the usual seasonal decline not being so pronounced. Between January and June an average decline of 3.3 cents per pound occurred, followed by an advance of 10 cents per pound by December when a price of 50.6 cents per pound was reached. The movement in cheese was similar to that in butter, with prices considerably higher at the end of the year than at the beginning. The price advanced from an average of 29 cents per pound in January to 31.5 cents in May. This advance was followed by a slight seasonal decline in July, after which prices advanced to 33.5 cents in December. In the case of both butter and cheese the higher levels in 1925 than in 1924 were due to a strong export demand.

Bread prices throughout 1922, 1923, and the first seven months of 1924 had been quite steady. However, commencing in August,

1924, following a similar movement in wholesale prices of flour and of wheat, prices commenced to advance. From an average of 6.7 cents per pound in July and previously, the price rose steadily to 7.4 cents by December. The increase continued until March, 1925, when a high price of 8 cents per pound was reached. This level was maintained until October, when prices declined slightly, following the decrease in flour and wheat. As in the case of bread, flour prices had been fairly steady till the middle of 1924. The advance commenced in June from an average of 4.1 cents per pound, and continued steadily till March, 1925, to 6.2 cents per pound. Prices then declined slightly the decrease becoming more pronounced by November, when a level of 5.1 cents was reached. The price in December was slightly upward. The price of

rolled oats, as with bread and flour, began to advance in the summer of 1924 in sympathy with the movement in grain. Commencing from an average price of 5.4 cents per pound in July the increase continued till March, 1925, when the price averaged 6.4 cents per pound. A slightly lower level was reached in April, which was maintained until the autumn, when another decline occurred, carrying prices down to an average of 5.8 cents per pound. Rice displayed very little fluctuation during 1925, prices however tended to be slightly higher than in 1923 and 1924. Beans were steady throughout the year and changes since 1921 were unimportant. Prices of evaporated apples and prunes also showed little change during the year or as compared with 1924. In December, 1925, the price of

the former commodity averaged 19.8 cents per pound and of the latter 15.7 cents.

The decline in the wholesale price of granulated sugar, which commenced about the end of 1923 and continued with only minor interruptions throughout 1924 and 1925, was reflected in the retail price also. Commencing with an average retail price of 12.1 cents per pound in January, 1924, the decline continued till October, when a slight advance occurred. The decrease, however, was resumed in November and continued throughout the greater part of 1925, from 9.5 cents per pound in January to 7.8 cents in November. The price in December was slightly higher. Coffee prices advanced during 1925 from 57.9 cents per pound in January to 61.5 cents in September.

13378-23

Potato prices advanced from $1.39 per 90 pounds in January to $1.52 in March, then declined during the next four months to $1.35 in July. In August the usual seasonal increase occurred with the marketing of the new crop and prices rose to $2.10 per 90 pounds, as compared with $2.24 in August, 1924. By the beginning of October, 1925, prices had fallen to $1.49, but during October and November, when usually a decline occurs, prices rose substantially, reaching $2.62 at the beginning of December. A short crop in the United States brought about extensive buying in Canada for United States consumption, resulting in much higher prices.

In fuel, prices in 1925 as compared with 1924 were lower in January but somewhat higher in December. The increase was