§ DR. MACNAMARA (Camberwell, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state the minimum wage per head per month now being offered in the Transvaal to native labourers and to Chinese labourers indentured under the Transvaal Labour Ordinance.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES (Mr. LYTTELTON,) Warwick and LeamingtonI understand that the minimum wage for black labourers in the Transvaal mines is 45s. for men and 30s. or less for youths and boys per month of thirty working days. The minimum wages of Chinese under the Transvaal Labour Ordinance are shown in No. 53 of Cd. 2026 and the Papers referred to therein. Lord Milner informs me that he is well within the mark in his estimates of £2 10s. 0 as the average wage, and that the adoption of the schedule which has been inserted in the contract gives ample security that Chinese will earn present average Kaffir wage and will not be used to undercut the latter. Of course this is independent of the effect of piece-work, which will, Lord Milner believes, result in Chinese earning considerably more.
§ DR. MACNAMARAI asked the right hon. Gentleman to give me the minimum wage.
§ MR. LYTTELTONThe, minimum average wage is 50s. for the Chinese. That is the provision I have impressed 136 on Lord Milner, and, as I have stated, he says that it is well within the mark as the average wage. That is independent of the effect of piece-work.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN (Stirling Burghs)May I ask what the right hon. Gentleman means by the minimum average wage; if it is the minimum it cannot be the average, and if it is the average it cannot be the minimum. Will the right hon. Gentleman state what the minimum wage is?
§ MR. LYTTELTONThe minimum wage of Kaffirs is 45s. for men and 30s. or less for boys. The minimum wage for Chinese is 30s., which is the minimum wage for corresponding work done by Kaffirs.
§ DR. MACNAMARAAs compared with 45s.?
§ MR. LYTTELTONNo.
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTON (Tower Hamlets, Poplar)These wages have been promulgated in the Transvaal. May we have a copy of what has appeared in the proclamation?
§ MR. LYTTELTONThe wages appear in the form of contract.
§ DR. MACNAMARAAm I to understand that the minimum wage of the Kaffir is 45s. and the minimum wage of the Chinaman 30s.?
§ MR. LYTTELTONNo, Sir. The minimum wage of Kaffirs is 30s. But, as I have explained before, the system on which we have gone is this. Take 100 Chinamen and 100 Kaffirs doing work in the mines. If the 100 Chinamen earn on the average not less than is earned by the 100 Kaffirs, then the minimum wage would not come into effect at all. Our object is to prevent malingerers, or skulkers as they are called out there, from earning the 50s.; but, at the same time, the object we wish to attain is that the rate throughout should be not less than 50s.
§ DR. MACNAMARAAm I right in saying that among the 100 Kaffirs there would be included a large number of boys, or any boys at all?
§ MR. LYTTELTONSome of the work would be done by boys, I believe.
§ MR. CROOKS (Woolwich)May we have a distinct answer to this—is the work to be day work or piece-work?
§ * MR. SPEAKERThe Question on the Taper has been fully answered. If the hon. Member wants any further information he must put a Question on the Paper.
§ MR. CROOKSIt is only on occasions of this sort that we can get information.