§ MR. H. D. GREENE (Shrewsbury)I beg to ask the Postmaster General, whether the painting work in connection with post offices at Shrewsbury has been let by contract, and whether the workmen, or any of them employed during the last four months in such work, have been paid wages below the rate of wages usually paid for such work in the locality, or below the wages generally accepted as current in the trade for competent workmen; and whether, having regard to the Resolution of this House of the 13th of February, 1891, the Government will take any steps in regard to the matter?
§ THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (Hr. H. J. GLADSTONE, Leeds, W.)This is a question which concerns my Department. The Board of Works have only small and occasional amounts of work at Shrewsbury. Such work as there is, like the painting of the post office, is performed by one of the principal tradesmen in the town, on a schedule of prices. From inquiries made, it appears that the prices paid to the contractor, which were fixed some years ago, are scarcely sufficient to enable him in all cases to pay full rates. Now that my attention has been called to the matter, I have given instructions for fresh terms to be arranged with the contractor on the basis of an undertaking on his part to pay full wages in all trades.