Why is the study of income and expenditure necessary? Because it is first necessary to know the relative importance of commodities and services purchased in the average Shanghai budget. Then, as prices of these move from month to month by differing amounts and in different directions, the total effect on living costs be worked out. By any other way, attempts to assess increases in costs of living are mere guesses.
The average family uses many more items than would be thought. Certainly several hundred. The Chinese working class families were found to use over 500 items. The most important are discovered, ani the price changes in these followed.
The official study can be made only if the householders keep records and send them in. It is felt that once this is understood, assistance will be forthcoming.
Index figures for the cost of living for Chinese working class families are published monthly in the "Municipal Gazette."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.