§ * MR. NANNETTI (Dublin, College Green)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been directed to the report of an action taken against a War Department contractor named Broderick, before the Recorder of Dublin, by a labourer named Reddy for damages under the Workmen's Compensation Act for injuries received while employed in the execution of contract work at the Royal Barracks; whether he is aware that Roddy swore at the trial that he was a labourer employed by Broderick to do plastering work at 18s. per week, while Broderick swore that his contract was for painting only; whether the employment of labourers at 18s. per week either on plastering or painting contracts for the War Department is in accordance with the terms of the Fair Wages Resolution of February, 1891; and whether he is aware that repeated complaints against this con tractor have been made to the War Office within the past six months by the Amal gamated Painters' Society at Dublin with unsatisfactory results; and whether, in view of the fact that Broderick has secured the painting contracts for other military barracks in Ireland, the Department will undertake that these contracts shall be cancelled in the event of Broderick continuing to evade the terms of the Fair Wages Resolution.
* LORD STANLEYThe answer to the first and second paragraphs of the hon. Member's question is in the affirmative. The General Officer Commanding has been 301 directed to make inquiries into the matter. War Department contracts require payment by the contractor of the wages current in the district. The position taken by this contractor in answer to the complaints referred to by the hon. Member has been that he has paid the full union rate of 8d. an hour to his painters, and a less rate to improvers, boys and lime-whiters. As regards the work which he is carrying out at other stations in Ireland, it has been ascertained by the General Officer Commanding that he is paying the men employed the usual rates current in the district.
§ * MR. NANNETTIasked a further question as to the number of improvers employed by this contractor.