The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-04-27 00:00:00


AGRICULTURAL WAGES.

The Hon. Edward Stanhope sends us (The Times)
the following statement, showing the comparative
earnings of agricultural labourers in the principal
countries of Europe, with the purchase-power of money
and the usual diet, where it has been possible to
ascertain theee particulars. The statement is Mr.
Stanhope informs us, founded mainly upon the Reports
of Her Majesty's representatives abroad on the Tenure
of Land, and on the Condition of the Industrial Classes
in Foreign Countries 184i9-70-71. Reference is also
made to the appendix to the lecture of Mr. James
Howard, M. P„ on Continental Parmingand Peasantry.
For comparison, the rates of wa;es awl diet in Great
Britain and Ireland are appended. The table deals
only with hired lab, airers, and avoids all mention of the
email proprietors at home or abroad.
• •

r - .
One disadvantage in the way of the foreign work-
man is, Mr. Stanhope remarks, the number uf holydays
or village (Cites, which number in Russia from 30 to 100
during the year, in Austria at least 76, in Turkey 48,
and which are very numerous in Belgium. Spain, and
Switzerland : _ .

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" Aus rain. —Wages—Galicia, Id. a day In summer an I MI.
In winter; at harvest, Is. tots. ; Silesia, mem £4 a year;
women, £3, with board and lodzing ; Moravia, 84. to la. 44.
in.summor, and 63. to led. in winter (Dr. Fuchs, 1865). In
1807 the average wages were from £3 to £4 for men, or £1
to £3 for women with board and lodging It has since risen
(Lytton) Purchase-power-3 one as in England at Trieste :
25 per cent. less at Itsgusa. Diet —As a general rule, well-
fed (L3tton).
" BS:WWII—Wages average 71. to I.R. ld. a day for men,
and 40 to 83. for women, with extra at harvest /(otileial
18221. From Is. 2,1. to Is. 84. for men, and tram 84. to MI
for women ,Pakenliam). Purchase-power. —Seesaaries as
dear, luxuries cheaper, clothes dearer than tii England
(Consul 6: altos). Diet.—Coffee adulterated with chicory,
Without milk or sugar, Meek or brown bread, butter, lard,
veotabl, a, and fresh or salted pork. Very isany have ouly
pot.does nab grease, bread, and chicory ,Pakenbitru).
_._. - • •

"DENMAIZE..—Wage., le. 3.1 to la. 81 a day, or 51 to
mt., aWI foil.lNir and brandy at harvest. Doors of
work, 11 to 1310 nominee, and dm light in winter (6traehey).
Purchase-power—Ali unmarried uperativecan tartly live on
las. 6!. a week (saradiey).
..11153(11.—Wages, li. 7d, a day in rummer, Or 11. V.
in whiter; women, 101. and ill. (M. I, conttuxl. A farm
labourer engaged by the year has £ll or eat and Ins
board, costing about as lunch (M. de Pimple). l'orchaso-
power.—N., real difference, but on French mode of living
15 per cent. less (Vereker), 15 per cent more than its Rog-
land (liamond). Diet—Soup made of plg's lard or beef Butt,
vegetables and broad porridge (tlamond).
_ . _

GEB.MANT —PRUSsut PitorP.R.—Woges, 111. to la. a day
for men, and 54. to 7d. for women, with houae rent tree,
potato land, and medical attendance, or £3 to £4 100., and
board, for non.

,
" PuMERANIA.— Ms. to Via, or even 1503 a year, and
board, a ith meat three or four times a week ; food worth
Like year.
" RIIINELAND.-111. In summer and 101. In winter, with
house rent free, or Is. to Is 3d. without it. Hours of work
12, or in harvost 14. Diet—Porridge, milk, dried peas,
potatoes, vegetables, and hetribas. Sleet on halyday s. Such
boarding valued at 3;0 to .Cl 3. (Ilan taGastrell).
-.

"SAXONT.—Wages, la. to Is. id. for 12 hours; women, Pd.
to Pl. Diet —Bread, butter, cheese, soup, vegetables, cotfoe,
and beer. Meat only on holydays Burnley).
BAVARlk.—Wages, Is 21-1. a day for men, and 111 d. for
WOlLeit on the a.erage. Diet. south, meal with butter,
fat, or milk, cabbages, and potatoes; in north, meat two
or three times a week, instead of the meal and coffee
(Fenton).
”WunTEmsgart—Wages, Is. id. to Is. 81 II day, with
food, sr Lb or LO with board and lodging in a form-hence.
The necessaries of life cheaper, and the standard of living
much lower. Diet —Potatoes, rye bread, and cider ; very
ttle meat (Gordon).
IT/alt.—Wages—Lombardy, is. to Is. id. a day, without
board; Bologna, led. to Is. sd. • Parma, ed. to 104.;
(Naples), iii. to Is. ad. (lierriesl. This does not refer to the
metayers. Purchase-power.—At Brindisi as 14 to 10 in
England ; at Naples, as 14 to S. Diet—Very little animal
food, but principally macaroni, bread, fruit vegetables, and
wine.

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" YETIIIIIILANDS.—Wages in Gel lerland, Bd. to 101. a day
for men, and Gd. to ed. for women. or £5 to £lO a year, with
board, for fares servants. Purchase-power —Necessaries
about as dear, luxuries much dearer. Diet —Tea and coffee.
black end brown bread, butter, vegetables, and tat; tish in
season (lucock).
" RUSSIA.—Wazes, by the day Is., by the month Id. a day,
by the season 41. a day; at harvest, 2a a day; on well-
managed estates they work from 4 ant to 9 p.m., with three
hours rest (Michell). Purchase-power.—One-hali for natives,
and for Entlishmen one third cheaper than in England
(Consul Steuens). Diet. —Cabbage or mushroom soup, baked
buckwheat eaten with milk, oil, oe butter, and rye bread
(Michell).
"SPAIN —Wages—Galieia, men, 12d. to 14d. : women, 7d.
to 10d., or £4 to .20 with board, wasting, and a suit of
clothes; Murcia. Is. 4d. a day a ithout, or bd, with board
Guipuzcoa, Is. 20., or 0,1. and food ; women, ed. to led. ;
Biscay, Is. Oil.; women, 10,1. to Is. ; Valencia, Is. to Is 6d.
Purchase-power.—Pood far cheaper, but meat a luxury.
Diet. —Bread, vegetables, and 'gaspacho '—cold soup of slices
of cucumber and bread steeped tu vinegae and water

(Drench.)
"SWEDEN—Wages, for men, 70. to 25. 24. in 16111161 et, 6.1
30. to Is 80. in whiter ; for women, 4d. to ls. 101, and
20. to Is. respectively ; farm servants, with board, £3 to
ES. (Gosling). Dirchase-power.—Wages bear a greater pro-
portion to the expenditure than in England (Jocel}n). Diet.
—Potatoes, rye, oats, and barley ; milk abundant ; salt
herrings, bat no meat; beer (Gosling).
SWITZERLAND.—Wagea, 10,1. to Is. 80. In winter, and
Is. Bd. to 25. 00. in summer. In remote districts still less
(M. Bovet). Working day generally reckoned at 13 hours.
Purchase-power.—Board for a man averages from is. H. to
7s. 3d. a week. Diet —Milk, coffee, cheese, potatoes, vege-
tables, and soup ; meat rarely ; wine and beer.
" ItXXv.—Wages, Is. 60. a day, or £7 to £l4 a year,
with board and lodging (Consul Moore). Diet —Brown
bread of mixed grain, staved beans, leeks, and a little
mutton.

"ENGLAND.—Wage% for men, from Is. fa. to 2s. 9.1. a day,
averaging ever •25., with extra money for harvest and piece-
work. Diet—White bread, bacon, potatoes and vegetables,
cheese, tea, coffee, and beer or cider. Milk and butter
scarce. In the 1,14,th a good deal more meat, especially for
farm servants.

" SCOTIAND.—Wages, 19s. to 15s. a week, being partly
paid in kind, or £lB to £24 a year with food. Diet.—O
meal, porridge, bread, potatoes, milk and butter, tea and
coffee, a little baom, but other meat rarely.
IILELAND.—Wag9s, Is. to is. 81. a day, or 6d. to Is. with
food. Diet.—Bread, potatoes, oatmeal, milk, whbky, aud a
little bacon."