commodities, price levels in 1913 being taken as the base, that is equal to 100, the figures being weighted according to the commercial and industrial importance of each article included. This index number has been calculated by years back to 1890, being unweighted, however, for the period 1890 to 1913 and has been calculated by months from 1919 to date for all groupings and from 1913 to date for the principal grouping. Summary tables of the Bureau's index number may be found in the supplement to the LABOUR GAZETTE for January, 1925, January, 1926, and in greater detail in the Report on Prices and Price Indexes 1913-1924," issued by the Bureau. A description of the methods used in the construction of the index number appears in the LABOUR GAZETTE for June, 1923. The accompanying table gives the index numbers of the Dominion Bureau of Statistics by the principal groups in the three methods of classification and with those of the classification according to purpose or use in detail for the current month and for certain preceding dates.

EXPLANATORY NOTE AS TO RETAIL PRICES The table of retail prices and rentals shows the prices at the beginning of March of seventy-one staple foodstuffs, groceries, coal, wood and coal oil and the rent for six-roomed houses in some sixty cities throughout Canada. All prices are for delivered goods. The exact quality, for which the quotation is given is set forth in the case of each commodity, and every effort has been made to ensure that the quotations in each case refer to the same class of commodity in order that the statistics may be available for purposes of comparison from month to month, from city to city, etc. The prices of foods and groceries in each city, except milk and bread, are the averages of quotations reported to the Department and to the Dominion Bureau of Statistics by a number of representative butchers and grocers in each. The prices of fuel and the rates for rent are reported by the correspondents of the LABOUR GAZETTE.

Statistics similar to these were published each month from 1910 to 1920, the figures during this period being secured at the middle of each month by the correspondents of the LABOUR GAZETTE resident in each locality from dealers doing a considerable business with workingmen's households. From 1910 to 1915 the table contained a list of only the twenty-nine foods included in the family budget, with laundry starch, coal, wood, coal oil and rent. In 1915 when monthly publication of the budget in the LABOUR GAZETTE was begun, it was decided to extend the list of foods to 40, and in 1920 the list of foods and groceries was still further extended to include over 100 items.

Beginning with October, 1922, a number of commodities were dropped from the list, and in the case of a number of articles the average prices of the grades most sold have been given, owing to the impossibility of securing prices for uniform grades for the various cities from month to month.

Oleomargarine was dropped in March, 1924, the provision for its manufacture and sale since 1917, notwithstanding the Dairy Act, expired at the end of February, 1924.

The quotations for rent are the prevailing rates for six-roomed houses of two classes in districts extensively occupied by workingmen. The first class is of houses in good condition, favourably located in such districts with good modern conveniences. The second class is of houses in fair condition less desirably located, but still fairly central, without modern conveniences.

The weekly budget of a family of five, calculated in terms of the average prices in the cities for which reports are received, includes twenty-nine staple foods; laundry starch, coal, wood, coal oil, and rent, these

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being the items for which statistics have been obtained each month and published in the LABOUR GAZETTE since January, 1910. The quantities of each commodity included are modifications of those employed in similar calculations by various authorities. For some articles comparatively large quantities are included owing to the absence of other important items of the same class. For instance, the only fruits are evaporated apples and prunes, and the only fresh vegetable is potatoes. But as market conditions affecting these usually affect the prices of other fruits and vegetables somewhat similarly, the relative proportion of expenditure on the various classes of foods tends to be maintained. At times when the price of an article heavily weighted for this purpose rises (or falls) abnormally the increase (or decrease) in food prices so indicated is exaggerated, and this should be taken into account in using the budget as an indicator of changes in the cost of living. In fuel and lighting the quantities are estimated on a similar principle, anthracite coal being used chiefly east of Manitoba, and soft coal and wood in the western provinces, while no allowance is made for the quantities required in the various localities owing to climatic conditions, nor for the differences in the heating value of the various fuels. It was estimated, when the budget was first published in 1912 in the report on wholesale prices in Canada for 1911, that these calculations represented from sixty to eighty per cent of the expenditures of an ordinary family, according to the total income. For the average family of five the expenditure on these items of food, fuel, light and rent would be perhaps two-thirds or about sixty-five per cent of the total income.

While the budget serves to show the increase or decrease from time to time in the cost of the items included, it does not purport to show the minimum cost of food and fuel supplies for an average family in the Dominion or in any one province. The quantities of meats, dairy products, cereals, etc., included were adopted as affording a liberal supply for the healthy family of a man at hard physical work. On the other hand an average family with an income sufficient to do so would buy less meat, etc., but more fruit, fresh and canned vegetables, etc., so that comparative expenditure would be little changed.

Cost of Electric Current for Householders*

With rates in 1913 at 100, index numbers of electric light rates were: 1900, 141.4; 1905, 135.6; 1910, 118.1; 1911, 113.4; 1912, 109.1; 1913, 100.0; 1914, 96.5; 1915, 90.8; 1916, 87.6; 1917, 87.2; 1918, 85.8; 1919, 85.8; 1920, 84.2; 1921, 84.9; 1922, 82.7; 1923, 79.5.

Retail Prices

The upward movement in the prices of beef continue, sirloin steak averaging 29.3c. per pound in March as compared with 28.6c. in February; round steak 23.5c. in March and 23.1c. in February; shoulder roast 15.8c. in March and 15.6c. in February. Slightly higher prices were reported from most localities. Veal and mutton showed little change. Both fresh and salt pork advanced somewhat, the former averaging 29.7c. per pound in March, as compared with 29.1c. in February, and the latter averaging 27.4c. in March and 27c. in February. Advances occurred mainly in the eastern provinces and British Columbia, *LABOUR GAZETTE, December 19023. page 1442.

while the prairie provinces showed declines. Bacon was slightly higher, averaging 41.9c. per pound. In fresh fish cod steak and halibut were slightly higher. Salt herrings advanced somewhat. Lard was unchanged in the average, increases in some localities being offset by declines in others.

Eggs again showed a general decline, fresh averaging 46.4c. per dozen in March, 50.5c. in February, and 62.8c. in January, and cooking averaging 38.7c. per dozen in March, 41.5c. in February and 50.1c. in January. Milk was slightly lower in the average, lower prices being reported from Fort William and New Westminster. Both dairy and creamery butter advanced, the former averaging 45.6c. per pound in March, as compared with 45.4c. in February, and the latter averaging 50.7c. per pound in March, and 49.8c. in February. Increases occurred in most localities. Cheese was slightly lower, averaging 32.7c. per pound.

Bread was unchanged in the average at 7.6c. per pound. Soda biscuits were down from 18.6c. in February to 18.4c. in March. Flour, rolled oats, rice and tapioca were practically unchanged in the average. Canned vegetables were steady. Beans were slightly lower, averaging 7.9c. per pound. Potatoes showed little change, averaging $2.94 per ninety pounds in March, as compared with $2.92 in February and $2.64 in January. Evaporated apples and prunes averaged somewhat lower, the former at 19.6c. per pound and the latter at 15.7c. per pound. Raisins again showed a slight increase, averaging 17.9c. per pound in March and 17.7c. in February. Canned peaches and marmalade were slightly lower. Both granulated and yellow sugar were unchanged in the average, slight increases in some localities being offset by lower prices in others. Pepper advanced from 50.3c. per pound in February to 53.4c. in March. The increase was general.

Anthracite coal was down from an average of $18.93 per ton in February to $18.03 in March. Lower prices were reported from Halifax, Sherbrooke, St. John's, Montreal, Belleville, Peterborough, Toronto, St. Catharines, Hamilton, Brantford, St. Thomas, Chatham, Owen Sound, Sault Ste. Marie and Brandon. Bituminous coal averaged $10.52 per ton in March as compared with $10.59 in February. Little change occurred in the prices of wood. No changes were reported in rent.

Wholesale Prices

The following is a summary of a statement on prices changes during the month issued by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics.

Grain prices continued towards lower levels in March. No. 1 Manitoba Northern cash wheat, Fort William and Port Arthur basis, averaged $1.48 per bushel, as compared with $1.54 in February. The low price for the month was $1.42 reached on the 8th, and the high $1.53 reached on the 18th. Western barley declined from 59c. per bushel to 58 c.; flax seed from $2.04 per bushel to $1.91; corn from 88 c. per bushel to 83 c.; Ontario barley from 64 c. per bushel to 63c.; and rye from 85 c. per bushel to 85c. Oats advanced from 45 c. per bushel to 47 c. Flour at Toronto was down from $9.05 per barrel in February to $8.62 in March. Oatmeal fell from $4.35 per ninety-eight pound sack to $4.25, and shorts from $32.13 per ton to $31.25. Straw advanced slightly to $10 per ton. Bananas in Montreal advanced from $2.75$3.75 per bunch to $3-$4, and oranges from $5.25-$5.50 per box to $5.50-$5.75. Linseed oil was 5c. per gallon lower at $1.01. Raw sugar declined from $3.74 per hundred to $3.58, and granulated from $5.99 per hundred to $5.89. The decline was said to be due to the arrival of the new crop from Cuba. Rubber prices continued to decline, Ceylon being 58c. per pound in March, as compared with 62c. in February. Men's rubbers declined from $1.18 per pair to $1. Potatoes at Montreal advanced from $2.923 per bag to $2.993, and at Toronto from $3.12 to $3.20. At Winnipeg, however, the price was slightly lower at $1.34 per bushel, as compared with $1.47. Rangoon rice was slightly lower at $3.25-$4.90 per hundred. The cattle market was weaker, due, it was said, to large supplies. Western cattle at Winnipeg fell from $6.77 per hundred to $6166. At Toronto choice steers were down from $7.25 per hundred to $7.124. Hogs at Toronto declined from $14.29 per hundred to $13.77. Sheep were 50c. per hundred pounds higher at $8. In fish halibut advanced from 13c. per pound to 14c. Salt cod was down from $8 per quintal to $7, and salt herrings from $8 per barrel to $7. Sockeye salmon rose from $4.75 per dozen one pound tins to $5. Calf skins were down from 16c.-17c. per pound to 15c.-16c. Sole leather was 2c. per pound lower at 40c. Bacon was slightly lower at 324c.-334c. per pound. Creamery butter at Montreal rose from 47c. per pound to 48c., and at Toronto from 46c. per pound to 47c. The seasonal decline in the prices of eggs continued, fresh at Montreal being down from 44c.-46c. per dozen to 40c.-42c. Cotton at New York fell from 20.7c. per pound in February to 19.4c. in March. The lower prices were said to be due to the disturbed political condition in France, fears

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