The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-10-21

var mas D0u bIe0
Living In ireland
Continued from Page u
nomic conditions resulting from the
war are the laboring classes, and
with some little exceptions there is
nothing unusually depressing in their
present prospects. General farm
hands receive from los. to 12s. weekly,
together with board, while laborers in
direct employment on the roads are in
receipt of las. weekly-a wage which
naturally under present circumstances
they state is inadequate, and their
claim to little extra payment is un-
der consideration presently by the fin
ance committee of the county coun-
Gil. At present there is no dearth of
employment in Abbeyfeale, Athea,
Templeglantine and adjoining district,
and in some instances farmers have
raised the usual weekly wage little
to assist in meeting the extra price
OF the ordinary necessaries of life. La
borers with large young families are
the only class strained to unite ends,
as others are enabled to send their
children from the ages of 10 or ~ into
service to the farmers, and so assist
their parents to tide over the periods
OF MISUNDERSTANDING December
January and February. Servants who
contract with farmers for 9 or 10
months service usually receive from
6s. to IS. cd. weekly, together with
board and lodgings. OF this class of
labor farmers occasionally grumble be-
cause of the difficulty experienced in
securing suitable hands. Families de-
prived of the wage Garner are those
who feel keenest the burden of present
prices, but these are luckily limited in
number in proportion to the popula-
ton.
Skibbereen.
There is distress in Skibbereen ur.
ban and rural areas, but not of an
acute or widespread character. 1t is
confined in the town principally to
families of those engaged in the build.
ing trades, and in the country to la
borers with large families. We have
no industries employing large num-
bers of people, and with the low
wages paid, and the present prices of
the necessaries of life, there is no
doubt but there will be want and dis.
tress among the working classes, un-
less relief is forthcoming from some
government source; there will be dis
tress among the people who are willing
to work and cannot get it. Masons,
carpenters and plasterers are to be
seen daily walking idly through the
streets. The fishing this year was the
most prosperous for a quarter of CEN
fury, and will, doubtless save the in
habitants of the soaboard from dis
tress. may say (1) there is want of
employment in this district; (2) the
classes most affected are tradesmen
and laborers employed in the building
trade; (3) the rate Of wages paid to
agricultural laborers is Is. week and
their diet; (4) the rate of wages paid
to urban workers is 14s. a week, and
in some cases 15s., and prospects of
employment during the winter are re-
mote.
The following is a list of the prices
Of the necessaries of life before the
outbreak of the war and at the pres.
ent time:
Bread-Present time, 1Od per pair;
second, 91a. Before the war, I'd per
pair; second, Cd.
Flour-Present time, SOS per sack of
20 stone. Before the war, GAS per
sack of 20 stone
Beef-Present time, is (best). Be-
fore the war, Sd (best).
Mutton-Present time, Is Id. Before
the war, Cd. Before the war, 1Ss Cd
per sack.
Potatoes-Present time, Sd per
stone. Before the war, I'D per stone.
Bacon-Present time, 14Os per cwt.
Before the war, 106s per cwt.
Coal-Present time, SIS per ton. Be.
fore the war, 24s per ton.
Turf-Present time, los a creel. Be.
fore the war, IS creel.
Chickens-Present time, from Is Cd
to As per pair. Before the war, from
Is to IS per pair
Eggs-Present time, Is Cd per dozen.
Before the war, Is per dozen.
Fish-Present time, mackerel for
American curing, LIS per 120 (aver-
age price,; fresh mackerel for home
consumption, les per 12O. Before the
war. mackerel for American curing,
Is to IS per 100; fresh mackerel for
home consumption, IS per 100.