LIVING STANDARDS RISING IN HUNGARY

Grey River Argus, 24 November 1948, Page 2

LIVING STANDARDS RISING IN HUNGARY

(From Peter Furst, Reuter’s Correspondent).

BUDAPEST (By Airmail). An increase in the Hungarian standard of living b yIOO per cent, since August 1946 was claimed by Antal Apro, Secretary-General of the Hungarian Trade Union Council, in an address to the 17th Trade Union Congress just concluded heree. In a lengthy report to the delegates, Mr Apro said that th rise in the general living standard in Hungary was due first to the increase in wages, which was substantial in many categories, and second, to the decrease in prices of consumer goods and food. Industrial wages, for example, were said to have risen by 138 per cent, from 1.28 forints (one forint is equal to about fourpence) per hour in October 1946, to 3.07 forints in August 1948. The largest increase was in the steel iron an machine industry, where the hourly wages rose from 1.28 forints two years ago to 3.65 forints in August, 1948, when the last increase was made.

In the chemical industry, hourly pay rose from 1.14 forints to 2.63 forints (132 per cent.); in the food industry 1.40 to 2.58 (92 per cent.) and the leather industry from 1.24 to 3.29 forints. The average monthly salary of engineers and technicians rose in the 18 months between February 1947 and August. 1948 by 77 per cent, from 709 forints to 1255 forints, while teachers’ pay has increased by 91 per cent, in the two-year period between October, 1946 and to-day. Food prices, on the average remained the same or declined, while prices in some commodities rose slightly. Rationed wheat bread for example, rose very slightly, from 0.92 forint to 1.0 forint in the year September 1947 to September 1948, while potatoes fell from 1.03 forints a kilogramme (2.21 b in February 1948 to 0.62 forint in September 1948, thanks to a good harvest. Unrationed bread fell from four forints a year ago to a legal price of 2.60 this' year. Beef increased from 7 forints to 8.40 per kilogramme in the same period, while rationed sugar fell from 7.60 to 6 forints and unrationed sugar from 11.40 to 8.50 per kilogramme. Eggs rose 'from 0.85 to 0.91 pel’ piece, and fats decreased kilogramme. Vegetables also decreased from 0.73 forint to 0.52 forint per kilogramme. Electricity, fas and communications (bus, tram, etc.) also decreased considerably. In 1946, one kilowatt of electricity cost 0.80 forint, compared with 0.64 to-day, while gas decreased from 0.80 to 0.76 forint per cubic meter A weekly season bus ticket now costs five forints, compared with seven forints two' years ago and single tram or bus tickets have decreased by 33 per cent. Some clothing and textiles have also decreased in price. Others remained the same. A readymade low-priced man’s suit which cost 350 forints in October 1946, now costs 288 forints. Prices of flannel and printed cotton materials have remained unchanged, the former at an average of 11.10 forints per meter (39 inches) the later at 8.40. On the other hand, utility (“tipusz”) men’s woollen material decrea'ied from 73 to 57.50 forints per meter over a period of two years, and women’s utility woollen goods from 30 to 27 forints per meter. Rents, however, have increased by 15 per cent this, month, although this increase does not go to the landlord but to a State construction and reconstruction fund to be used for building new flats. Real wages, according to Mr Apolo’s figures in July. 1948 stood at 196.1 compared with 100 after the stabilisation of Hungarian currencyin August 1948. This figure, he said represented a considerable increase even over March this year, when real wages stood at 147.8 or June 1948 when they were 176.2. There are stiff considerable difficulties, .Mr Apro stated, particuarly for civil servants and for unskilled workers. Civil servants’ pay is still relatively low, although it too has increased substantially in some cases even almost doubled, between 1946 and 1948. Basic pay for the lowest grade o± civil servants (typists, auxiliary telephone operators, etc.) has increased from 201 forints to 378 forints per month, or by 84.6 per cent, but this is still a very low figure compared with living costs. Mr Opro added that he did not deny that there was still much poverty, but he felt sure that conditions could be improved rapidly with the potential forces of Hungarian industry.