Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-05-01
COST OF LIVING IN CHINA.
Large Advance in Household and General
Expenses Reported by Consul.


Consul Wilbur Il. Gracey of Using
Tau. China, makes the following report
relative to the increased cost of living
in the far east:
The cost of living in China has in
creased considerably during the last few
years, and the increased price of provi-
siOns. rents and other current expenses
is becoming continual subject for
newspaper discussion.
Ten years ago it was possible TO Sc
cure III Tien-Tsin or Shanghai good
and commodions residence for $50 to
$40 gold a month. and luxurious build
ing for $50. but at the present time the
minimum appears 10 be the latter figure,
and houses which ten years ago We're
renting for $50 now bring double that
amount A seven-room house in a row,
without garden, rents for about 500
while a detached house with even a
small garden cannot be obtained for less
than S15.
lin TsingTau rentals are somewhat
higher. averaging so for a seven or
eight room house, and running TO $50
a month for an unpretentious villa with
a small GARDEN, containing probably ten
or twelve rooms.
Hong Kong rentals are about the
same as Shanghai, but vary considerably
according to the situation, those at the
Peak Ia mountain resort above the city,
, commanding about 80 per cent. more
than houses situated on the lower level.
Ten years ago ii was possible TO en-
ploy excellent boys at $3.50 to S. gold
month cooks from $3.50 to So and
general house coolies for $3.50 or So.
.Iinrikisha coolies could be secured for
about the same price as house coolies,
and would work as indoor servants when
they were not pulling the jinrikisha. AT
the present time in Shanghai, Hong
Kong and TienTsin wages are S6 TO
SO gold month Tor boys, while in some
cases they demand even higher wages;
Sc to $3.50 gold for cooks. and 81 to
So for coolies Outdoor and indoor sery-
ants now will not exchange duties, which
necessitates an extra man for those who
keep their own jinrikisha.
I'm Tsing-Tau wages are still higher
than in Shanghai or other places IN
China. and are 100 TO $50 per cent. more
than in other places in Shantung prov
| ince. Boys here receive S13 gold Il
| month. cooks $40 TO SO, coolies So to
| St. children's Chinese nurses demand
| S15 month and their food, while IN
other parts of China the latter received
| $3.50 to So gold a month, or possibly al
| the highest So, and procure their own
food.
The price of all household commodi-
ties in Shanghai. Hong Kong and Tien-
| Tsin has increased 30 to 40 per cent,
and meats even higher. When the price
| of silver rose, some two years ago, the
price of timed goods was advanced. as
was also the price of other commodities
| but with the decline of silver there is
no compensating reduction in the prices
| of articles of consumption. 1t is impos-
| sible for persons living in America to
realize the great variation that it is pos
| sible in the buying power of money
where it is always on fiuetuating basis
A person who six or eight years ago re-
eeived a salary of $4,000 year, equal to
| about $1,000 IN local currency, now finds
| that ais $1,000 only brings him about
$500 local currency, while the price OF
everything has increased enormously"