§ MR. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick's)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will take the necessary measures to have carried into practical effect the Fair Wages Resolution of this House in all Irish contracts where it is now violated; and whether he will arrange that for the printing done for this House and for the Government in Ireland Trade Union wages shall be paid and boy labour allowed only in due proportion?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTI am not aware of any cases in which the "Fair Wages Resolution" of the House of Commons is now being violated by contractors executing Government work for Departments under the control of the Treasury, but wherever allegations to this effect have been made I am sure my hon. Friend will bear me out when I say that I have immediately called the attention of the Department concerned to the matter, and directed them to enforce the spirit of the Resolution. As regards Government printing in Ireland, I understand that the wages paid by the contractor are the Union rates of wages for Dublin. With regard to the proportion of apprentices, Messrs. Thom state that they are ready to agree to the same proportion as prevails in large establishments in London and Edinburgh where similar work is done; and, as a matter of fact, the proportion actually employed by them is less than that prescribed by the Union authorities in London. On the whole, lam bound to say I see no evidence of anything like the sweating against which the Resolution is directed, If the 246 hon. Gentleman has any case to which he would wish particularly to draw my attention, I will inquire into it immediately.