§ MR. HERBERT KNATCHBULL-HUGESSEN (Kent, Faversham)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether there are men at Sheerness Dockyard, on the books as smiths, who are really doing fitters' work; and, if so, whether they should be classed as fitters; and whether arrangements can be entered into for the forgings of engines which are fitted at Sheerness being made in that Dockyard, instead of, as at present, in private yards?
THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Lord G, HAMILTON, Middlesex, Ealing)The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. It is not considered desirable to class them as fitters, as they are, as a rule, smiths by trade, and have been intermittently employed during the last two years upon smiths and fitting work, and are shifted from one class of work to the other to meet the requirements of the Service. The only forgings obtained by contract for engines made at Sheerness are propeller and crank shafts, connecting rods, and slide rods, and it is not considered desirable as a rule to depart from this arrangement unless the srnithery should 676 be in want of work. In that case the connecting rods and slide rods might be made in the yard.
§ MR. HOWELL (Bethnal Green, N.E.)Is there any difference in the pay of one class and the other?
§ LORD G. HAMILTONWhen these men are employed on the same class of work they receive the same pay.