§ MR. JAMES ROWLANDS (Finsbury, E.)I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works whether Messrs. Holland and Hannen are at present executing a contract for repairs at Somerset House; if so, whether the contract has been given to them, subject to the Resolution of the House of 13th February, 1891; whether it is a fact that the painting, instead of being done by skilled painters receiving the trade rate of wages, is being mainly done by "handy men" at 6½d. per hour; whether it is a fact that some of the work was spoiled last week by these men, and had to be re-done; and will he see that the terms of the Resolution are duly carried out by the firm?
§ THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (Mr. PLUNKET,) Dublin UniversityThe conditions of Messrs. Holland and Hannon's contract for ordinary works and repairs were settled before the Resolution of the House of 13th February, 1891, was proposed, but they were framed in the spirit of, and conform to, that Resolution. No painting work is at present being done by them at Somerset House. The only work of the kind which they are doing in that district is in the office of the Official Receiver for Companies, in Carey Street, where they have 29 men employed. Of these 19 are painters, and are receiving the wages assigned to painters—namely, 8d. (in some cases 8½d.) an hour. The remaining men are paint cleaners (sometimes, I believe, called "handy men"), and they are receiving the wages assigned to that class in the Schedule—namely, 6½d. an hour. I understand that, this being measured work, our clerk of the works did object to a very small piece of painting done last week, and had it at once properly finished. That is, of course, an event which is sure to happen from time to time, no matter what wages are paid. As to the last part of the question, I believe that Messrs. Holland and Hannen have in this, as in every case, faithfully observed the Resolution of 13th February of last year.