§ SIR ARTHUR BULLERsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether the Government intend doing anything towards the relief of the labourers in the several public Dockyards, who are at present paid at a rate considerably below the ordinary market value of labour?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGET, in reply, said, the Government had no intention of increasing the pay of the labourers in the Royal Dockyards. The hon. Gentleman said they were paid at a rate considerably below the market value of their labour; 1081 but he could only say the Admiralty had very numerous applications for the entry of labourers. It was, however, their intention to carry out—indeed, they were already carrying out—a limited system of building certain ships by piecework, as was recommended by the Committee on Dockyards; and if the artificers used great exertions they would receive somewhat higher pay. The labourers would likewise participate in these advantages.
§ SIR JAMES ELPHINSTONEsaid, he wished to ask, whether the applications referred to by the noble Lord were not from men desiring to be put upon the fixed list of the Dockyard establishment, and whether there was not at present very serious difficulty in filling up the ranks of the hired men with persons of competent ability in the shipwright and other departments?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGETsaid, there was no difficulty in filling up the vacancies with hired labourers.