In a typical week, January 5th-12th, 1899, the wages were:
Full workers, average, 16_s._ 2_d._ 1 at 21_s._ 5 between 16_s._ and 17_s._ 4 " 15_s._ and 16_s._ 1 at 14_s._ 10_d._ 1 " 12_s._ 9_d._
Learners in their third year, 2 at 10_s._ 6_d._ " " second " 1 " 5_s._
9 jobbers, average 5_s._ 5_d._ 1 at 7_s._ 2_d._ 4 between 5_s._ and 7_s._ 4 less than 5_s._
Average, for all except learners, 11_s._ 7_d._
_Information obtained._--Complete list of wages for first week in every month, from January, 1897, to February, 1900.
Full lists in five weeks described as "slack," "busy," or "typical."
The wages of fifteen hands tabulated, most of them throughout 1897-99.
The work is divided into four departments:--
Binders, from twenty-nine to thirty-eight hands. The median wage fluctuated in the three years between 11_s._ and 17_s._, excluding holiday weeks; 13_s._ is the general average. About six are on time wages.
In the warehouse, where Government folding is done, five hands are employed. The median wage of this group fluctuated in 1897 between 16_s._ and 27_s._, being low at the end of 1897. In 1898 and 1899 it was a little steadier, averaging about 21_s._ (piece rates).
In the envelope room, where folding and relief stamping is done, seven to thirteen hands are employed. The median wage is very variable, fluctuating from 9_s._ to 16_s._, and averaging about 12_s._, chiefly time wages.
Machine ruling is done by from four to eleven girls. Their median wage was nearly steady at 6_s._ in 1897 and 1898, and rose regularly to 8_s._ in 1899. Nominally these were time wages.
The following table shows detailed wages in five selected weeks (learners excluded).
+------------------+--------------------------+-------+---------+ | FIRM C. | Typical Weeks. | Busy | Slack | | | | Week. | Week. | | +--------+--------+--------+-------+---------+ | | Nov., | Feb., | Nov., | Dec., | March, | | | 1898. | 1899. | 1899. | 1899. | 1899. | +------------------+--------+--------+--------+-------+---------+ | Binders-- | No. | No. | No. | No. | No. | | Above 20_s._ | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | | 18_s._ to 20_s._ | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | | 16_s._ " 18_s._ | 5 | 3 | 9 | 13 | 1 | | 14_s._ " 16_s._ | 7 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 0 | | 12_s._ " 14_s._ | 7 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 2 | | 10_s._ " 12_s._ | 8 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 14 | | 8_s._ " 10_s._ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | | 6_s._ " 8_s._ | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | | 4_s._ " 6_s._ | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | +------------------+--------+--------+--------+-------+---------+ | Envelope Room-- | | | | | | | 20_s._ to 22_s._ | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 18_s._ " 20_s._ | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | | 16_s._ " 18_s._ | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | | 14_s._ " 16_s._ | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | | 12_s._ " 14_s._ | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | | 10_s._ " 12_s._ | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | | 8_s._ " 10_s._ | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 6_s._ " 8_s._ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | | 4_s._ " 6_s._ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | | 2_s._ " 4_s._ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | +------------------+--------+--------+--------+-------+---------+ | Machine Ruling-- | | | | | | | 8_s._ to 9_s._ | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | | 7_s._ " 8_s._ | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 6_s._ " 7_s._ | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | | 5_s._ " 6_s._ | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | | 4_s._ " 5_s._ | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | | 3_s._ " 4_s._ | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | | 2_s._ " 3_s._ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +------------------+--------+--------+--------+-------+---------+ | Warehouse | s. d. | s. d. | s. d. | s. d. | s. d. | | Earnings. | 22 4 | 24 1 | 27 9 | 28 0 | 21 6 | | | 22 1 | 24 1 | 26 10 | 26 10 | 20 8 | | | 22 1 | 23 3 | 26 4 | 26 3 | 20 8 | | | 20 5 | 22 1 | 24 6 | 24 9 | 19 3 | | | 12 7 | 20 10 | 11 3 | 24 0 | 15 6 | +------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+