Considerable progress can be rejeorded during December in the survey of pressure vessels. Approv~ fed engineers were appointed supervise 48. boilers and. pressure vessels not previously inspected and registered with the Council. In addition, 69 other boilers were under Inspection leading to the issue of Inspection certificates. The numbers here quoted are the largest in any [single month since the work of inspection was instituted under Coun-fell Rules.
(Cost of Living Index of Shanghai Workers.
The general index of the cost of living "of Shanghai "workers for 1038, is. 154.93, " showing an increase of 41.48 per cent. as compared with July, 1937, the pre+ per cent. and the clothing and the fuel and light indices decreased by
The rise in the former is counterbalanced by the fall in the latter so thatthe increase in the general. me ox as compared with the preceding month is negligible.
The movements of the retail prices of a few individual" commodity during the month are briefly indicated. The price of "sion" rice jin the food group, since permission for re-exportation has not been fully granted by the Customs authorities, and supply is plentiful, went down slightly." On account of the steady Gemand and the rise in the price of wheat, there was an average Me Grease in the price of flour of about ten. cents per parcel. Standardiza-Don tu retail price is being sought by the Fresh Noodles Association, For the current month, it was fixed at ten. cents per chin which. Slightly higher than the preceding month. Inthe vegetable group, the prices of turnips, sweet potatoes, ilium "odorum,, and spinach all went up owing to the coming of the winter season.
For most of the items in the cloth= Ing group, the downward tendency fof the price of cotton in the world market, the slight drop" in. foreign currency, and the increased local production of piece goods all helped fo reduce the prices to some extent, Prices for cotton flannel and fancy twills, however, wore slightly me creased owing to greater" demand fat this season of the year, Price of coal briquettes was ro-duced by two or three dollars. per ton as a result of the steady supply of coal and Keen competition mong the dealers. "Retail prices for fires wood also dropped as supply way In the miscellyncous group, production of Koopun Soap." was Adequate, price went down. slightly. The upward tendency in the prices of toilet paper and Shao-shing wine, war month, In the' group indices, however, still emitinued unabated, the food and the miscellaneous me The following tables give the ices are increased by O24 and C44 indices and the retail prices for the month Ixpex ov Case ur Livina ov Suaxciat Wenn.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.