§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, S.E.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, as skilled workmen are unable to ascertain on what principle they are paid, he would permit the posting of a scale of pay per week in Government dockyards?
§ * THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Lord G. HAMILTON,) Middlesex, EalingThe rates of pay per week are generally known to the workmen in the dockyards, and if there is anything with regard to his pay which a workman does not understand, he has only to ask his foreman or leading man. In the case of job and task or tonnage work the schemes of prices are not open to the inspection of the workmen, but any of the leading men or workmen, with the sanction of the principal officer of the department to which they belong, and in the presence of the measurer, are permitted to examine the measurer's account of their work, in order to satisfy themselves that such work has been accurately brought to account.
§ In reply to Mr. WOODALL (Hanley),
§ * LORD G. HAMILTONsaid: The difficulty of laying down a stereotyped schedule as regards piecework in the dockyards is that it cannot be applicable unless all the ships are also stereotyped as regards classification and internal arrangement. Therefore, as the introduction of piecework is not on a great scale, it has not been possible in advance to publish a schedule of the price. I will do all in my power to meet the views of the men.