Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 27 Oct 1937

Vol. 69 No. 5

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cost of Commodities.

Mr. Norton

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state in respect of each of the years 1931 to 1937 inclusive, the average cost, during the months of January and July, at the place of importation, of the following commodities, i.e., household coal (per ton); Canadian wheat (per quarter); all other imported wheat (per quarter); household flour (per sack); bakers' flour (per sack); tea (per lb.); sugar (per lb.).

Mr. Lemass

I am circulating with the Official Report a statement containing the desired information so far as it is available.

Average Import Value c.i.f. per unit of quantity shown of each of the undermentioned commodities imported into Saorstát Eireann during the months of January and July, respectively, in each of the years 1931 to 1937, inclusive.

Commodity	Unit of Quantity	Month	Average import value c.i.f. per unit of quantity in each of the months of January and July.
1931	1932	1933	1934	1935	1936	1937
			s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.	s.	d.
Household coal	Ton	January	26	3	25	7	22	7	21	3	20	7	26	0	26	6
		July	26	1	24	8	22	5	21	3	21	10	25	3	27	2
Canadian wheat	cwt.	January	6	3	7	0	6	0	6	10	7	5	7	9	10	1
		July	5	7	6	3	6	11	7	0	7	1	7	0	11	0
Other wheat	,,	January	6	8	6	1	6	2	5	3	7	5	6	11	9	0
		July	5	8	6	1	6	4	5	7	6	1	7	2	10	9
Wheat flour	Sack	January	27	11	26	9	24	5	22	9	24	8	24	6	33	8
		July	24	6	25	0	24	5	24	1	24	11	26	7	37	6
Tea	lb	January	1	9.7	1	7.3	1	1.8	1	4.1	1	3.8	1	3.8	1	3.5
		July	1	6.9	1	1.3	1	1.6	1	2.1	1	3.0	1	4.1	1	4.7
Sugar, refined	,,	January	0	1.01	0	1.11	0	0.92	0	0.86	0	0.85	0	0.88	0	0.98
		July	0	0.99	0	0.99	0	0.94	0	0.80	0	0.86	0	0.80	0	0.88

NOTE.—The average values shown per unit represent the cost, insurance and freight to the place of importation, exclusive of Customs charges. The average value for wheat is shown per cwt., which is the unit of quantity required in accordance with the Official Import List. There are not separate descriptions in the Official Import List for (a) household and (b) bakers' flour, all such imports being included under the one description "wheat flour."

Mr. Norton

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state in respect of the years 1931 to 1937 inclusive the average retail price at mid-February and mid-August in (a) Dublin; (b) Cork; (c) Limerick; (d) Galway; (e) Waterford; (f) Dun Laoghaire; (g) Blackrock; (h) Droghede; (i) Tralee; (j) Tullamore, and (k) Naas, of the following commodities, i.e., household flour, bakers' flour, bakers' bread, household coal, tea, sugar, milk, Irish eggs, potatoes, butter, streaky bacon, sirloin of beef and mutton.

Mr. Lemass

I am circulating with the Official Report a statement containing the desired information.

Predominant Retail Prices in Pence of Certain Commodities at Mid-February and Mid-August in each year (1931-1937).

Town and Date	Flour Household	Bakers' Bread	Coals*	Tea*	Sugar White Granulated	Fresh Milk	Eggs lst Grade Hen	Potatoes	Butter Creamery	Bacon Irish Steaky	Beef Sirloin	Mutton Leg
	Price in Pence per
	14 lbs.	2 lb. loaf	cwt.	lb.	lb.	quart	doz.	14 lbs.	lb.	lb.	lb.	lb.
DUBLIN
Mid Feb., 1931	24		4		29		32		2½		6		21		12		21		16		16		16
,, Aug., ,,		20		4		26		32		3		6		18		20		14		16		16		16
,, Feb., 1932	24		4		28		32		3—3½	6		21		18		18		16		16		16
,, Aug., ,,		22		4¼		30		36		3		6		16		10		14½		16		15		14
,, Feb., 1933	22		4¼		30		36		2½		6		18		8		15		14		14		12
,, Aug., ,,		24		4¼		30		36		2½		6		16		8		16		14		12		11
,, Feb., 1934	22		4¼		32		36		2½		6		18		8		16		17		12		11
,, Aug., ,,		24		4¼		30		32		3		5		20		16		16		16		12		12
,, Feb., 1935	24		4¼		32		32		3½		6		18		10		17		16		14		13
,, Aug., ,,		26		4¾		30		36		3½		5		20		10		17		18		14		13
,, Feb., 1936	28		5		32		36		3½		6		20		12		17		19		14		14
,, Aug., ,,		32		5¼		31		36		3¼		5		20		10		17		18		15		14
,, Feb., 1937	36		5½		34		36		3½		6		20		12		17		19		15		14
,, Aug., ,,		36		5½		33		32		3¼		5½		20		12		15		24		16		16
CORK
Mid Feb., 1931	26		4¼—4½	33		40		2½—2¾	5		16		10		21		18		15		16
,, Aug., ,,		23	4¼—4½		33		40		3		4		16		16		16		18		15		16
,, Feb., 1932	24		4½		33		38		3¼		5		18		20		19		18		14		14
,, Aug., ,,		23		4½		35		42	2½—3		4		12		9		16		18		14		14
,, Feb., 1933	23		4½		33		40		2½		5		14		7		17		14		12		11
,, Aug., ,,		23		4¾		33		40		2½		4		13		8		17		15		11		11
,, Feb., 1934	23		4¾		35		40		2½		4		15		8		18		14		10		11
,, Aug., ,,		24		5		35		36		3		4		15		10		18		16		10		11
,, Feb., 1935	24		5		36		36		3½		4		15		10		18½		14		12		13
,, Aug., ,,		24		5¼		31		40		3¾		3		15		8		18½		16		12		12
,, Feb., 1936	26		5½		31		40		3¾		4		18		10		18½		15		12		12
,, Aug., ,,		29		5½		30		40		3½		3		18		8		18½		15		12		12
,, Feb., 1937	34		5½		32		40		3½		4		16		10		19		16		12		12
,, Aug., ,,		34		5½		33		36		3¼		4		18		12		17		20		14		14
LIMERICK
Mid Feb., 1931	20		4		33		36		3		5		16		12		21		19		14		14
,, Aug., ,,		19		4		33		36		3½		4		16		16		16		18		12		14
,, Feb., 1932	21		4		33		36		3½		5		18		19		19		16		12		12
,, Aug., ,,		19		4		34		40		3		3		13		8		15½		15		12		12
,, Feb., 1933	21		4		34		36		3		4		14		7		15½		13		10		10
,, Aug., ,,		23		4		34		36		3		4		13		7		16½		13		9		9
,, Feb., 1934	21		4		34		36		3		4		14		8		17		14		9		9
,, Aug., ,,		22		4		30		32		3½		3		14		9		17		15		9		9
,, Feb., 1935	21		4		30		32		3½		4		14		8		17		15		10		10
,, Aug., ,,		22		4½		30		36		3½		3½		15		10		17		15		10		10
,, Feb., 1936	25		4½		30		36		3½		4½		15		10		17		15		10		10
,, Aug., ,,		28		4½		30		36		3½		3½		16		8		17		16		10		10
,, Feb., 1937	32		5		32		36		3½		4½		16		9		17		16		10		10
,, Aug., ,,		32		5		32		32		3¼		4		16		12		15		20		12		12
GALWAY
Mid Feb., 1931	20		4		28		34		2½—3	5½		15		10		21		16		12		14
,, Aug., ,,		17		4		29		34		3		5		18		13		14½		14		14		14
,, Feb., 1932	19½		4		28		36		3—3½	6		20		14		18		14		12		12
,, Aug., ,,		17		4½		29		40		2¾		4½		12		6½		14½		12		12		10
,, Feb., 1933	19		4½		30		38		2½		5½		16		5		14½		10		10		10
,, Aug., ,,		20		4½		30		34		2½		5		12		5½		16		10		9		9
,, Feb., 1934	20		4½		30		34		2½		5½		12		7		16½		12		8		8
,, Aug., ,,		21		4½		30		30		3		4½		15		7½		16½		13½		9		9½
,, Feb., 1935	21		4½		30		30		3½		5½		15		7		17		13		9		10
,, Aug., ,,		24		4½		13		34	3¾—4		4		14		8		17		14		9		10
,, Feb., 1936	25		5		28		34		3¾		5		15		9		17		14		8		10
,, Aug., ,,		28		5		29		34	3¼—3½		4		17		8		17		15		10		10
,, Feb., 1937	31		5		28		34		3½		5		15		8		17		16		10		10
,, Aug., ,,		32		5½		29		30		3¼		4		17		9		15		18		14		14
WATERFORD
Mid Feb., 1931	20		4½		26		34		2¾—3	5		15		10		22		16		13		14
,, Aug., ,,		19		4		26		34		3½		4		15		16		15		16		13		14
,, Feb., 1932	21		4½		28		34		3¼—3½	5		16		18		19		15		13		14
,, Aug., ,,		21		4½		30		38		2¾		4		12		8		14½		12		13		12
,, Feb., 1933	21		4½		30		36		2½		5		12		7		15		11		10		11
,, Aug., ,,		21		4½		28		40		2½		4		12		7		16½		12		10		10
,, Feb., 1934	21		5		28		36		2½		5		14		8		18		14		10		11
,, Aug., ,,		20		5		28		36		3		4		16		12		17½		14		9		9
,, Feb., 1935	20		5		28		32		3¼		5		13		9		18		13		10		11
,, Aug., ,,		24		5¼		30		34		3½		4		14		10		17½		14		10		10
,, Feb., 1936	26		5½		28		36		3½		4		16		11		18		13		10		10
,, Aug., ,,		27		5½		28		34		3½		4		18		10		18		14		10		10
,, Feb., 1937	31		5½		30		36		3¼		4		17		10		18		15		10		10
,, Aug., ,,		32		5		30		32		3		4		18		11		16		18		12		12
DROGHEDA
Mid-Feb., 1931	22		4		30		32		3		6		16		11		20		18		15		14
,, Aug., ,,		20		4		29		32		3½		5		16		18		16		15		14		14
,, Feb., 1932	22		4		34		32		4		6		12		18		18		14		14		12
,, Aug., ,,		24		4½		32		32		3		5		11		8		14½		14		13		10
,, Feb., 1933	24		4½		29		32		3		5		14		6		14½		14		12		10
,, Aug., ,,		24		4½		28		32		3		5		13		12		16		13		12		9
,, Feb., 1934	22		½		30		32		3½		5		14		8		17		16		10		8
,, Aug., ,,		22		4½		30		32		3½		4		15		16		17		15		10		8
,, Feb., 1935	22		4½		30		32		3½		5		14		8		17		14		12		11
,, Aug., ,,		26		4¾		30		36		3¾		4		15		10		17		15		11		11
,, Feb., 1936	28		5		29		32		4		5		14		10		17		14		11		11
,, Aug., ,,		32		5		29		32		3½		4		17		12		17		16		12		10
,, Feb., 1937	34		5½		31		32		3½		5		16		10		18		16		12		12
,, Aug., ,,		34		5		30		28		3½		5		17		12		15		19		14		12
TRALEE
Mid Feb., 1931	18		4½		36		32		2¾		5		15		10		21		18		14		14
,, Aug., ,,		16		4½		36		28		3		4		14		10		15		16		12		12
,, Feb., 1932	20		4½		36		32		3¼		5		15		12		18½		16		12		14
,, Aug., ,,		19		5		36		32		3		4		10		9		14½		15		12		14
,, Feb., 1933	18		5		36		34		2½		5		13		8		14½		13		9		9
,, Aug., ,,		22		4¾		36		34		2½		3		10		8		16		13		10		10
,, Feb., 1934	18		4½		33		32		2½		4		12		6		18		14		8		8
,, Aug., ,,		21		4½		33		28		3		3		15		9		17		17		8		9
,, Feb., 1935	20		4½		35		28		3½		4		12		8		17		17		10		10
,, Aug., ,,		24		5½		35		32		3½		3		13		8		17		17		10		10
,, Feb., 1936	25		6		34		32		3½		4		14		9		18		17		10		10
,, Aug., ,,		28		6		34		32		3¼		3		15		9		17½		17		10		10
,, Feb., 1937	31		6		33		32		3¼		4		15		10		17½		16		10		10
,, Aug., ,,		32		6		33		30		3		3		16		10		15		19		10		12

* As used by wage-earning classes.

NOTE.

It should be observed that these prices are ascertained in connection with the quarterly compilation of Cost of Living figures, for which purpose it is necessary only that the national average prices should correctly indicate the general trend. The average prices shown in the statementfor Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford, Drogheda, and Tralee, which are based in all cases upon few quotations, must be regarded merely as approximations, and not necessarily for the same qualities of goods in the different towns.

Only one or two quotations are available for each specified commodity for Dun Laoghaire, Blackrock (Co. Dublin), Tullamore and Naas, and consequently average prices cannot be furnished.

Retail prices of bakers' flour are not available.