WAGES IN CHINA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3609, 5 February 1883, Page 4

WAGES IN CHINA.

The United States Consul-General hi China has collected some interesting statistics upon the present state of Avagcs among the AA-orking classes in China, and these have been recently published by the American pajicrs. Skilled Avorknien, avlio, in a sense, might be considered artists, those avlio have to do AA-ith decoration, embroidering in silk, porcelain, painting, kc, even Avhen they have attained considerable reputation, can scarcely earn as much' as ivill keep thorn, and enable them to set apart what Avill cover the cost of their funeral, a special solicitude on the part of every Celesti.il. JcAvellcrs, avlio have a great responsibility, arc somoAvhat better paid : Avhilst the highest .vages, -Is to 8s per week, are obtained by the silk .vcavcrs. Tho average earnings per Aveek, all over, arc— For masters, 12s Gd; for Avorkmcu, Gs : for AA-omcn and children, 2s. The master, as a rule, lives in his .vorkshop; he has £1 to £G worth of household goods, and spends about £14 for food, £7* for rent, £2 for clothing, and considers himself fortunate if he has from £0 to £8 over at the curl of the year. The unmarried Avorkinan lives Avith his relatives and friends. "He spends for food £9, for lodging about 48s, and for clothing about 30s. AVonicn and children spend every cent they earn. The peasant earns from 4ld to 7d a, day. During harvest time he makes 4s a avcclc, Avith board, AA-hich is estimated at 4_d per day. They are fortunate aa-lio aro in a position to save 15s a year. Day laborers, jiorters, AA'heelbarrOAV-men, unci sailors earn from 2.dtols 2d a day. "In AVest China, the jiorters, Avho have to carry from 120 to 150 kilogrammes of tea in the mountainous regions, make Is a day. The ordinary day laborer makes 4s-Id j>cr month, and only spends 4s. Gold-Avashers receive 2_d to 7d a day. A gang of seven men can Avash twenty" tons 'of gold-sand daily. The yearly maintenance of a Chinese soldier costs a little over £13. Little Avouder need prevail that the Chinaman looks upon America or the Australian colonies as a veritable Tom Tiddler's ground, ci'en though he Avorks for ivhat "the .European considers pitiful Avages.