§ MR. JOHN WARDI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can state the number of men employed by Messrs. Morrison and Mason, contractors for the new lock, Portsmouth, upon that work, the number of navvies who are receiving less than 6d. per hour, and the number of labourers who are paid 5d. per hour; and whether he has seen or received from the local contractors' 1564 association a protest against the contractors for the Admiralty paying any workman less than 6d. per hour, on the ground that it is the recognised minimum wage of the district.
§ MR. T. F. RICHARDS (Wolverhampton, W.)May I also ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that Messrs. Morrison and Mason, contractors, Portsmouth, are paying 5d. per hour to men engaged in the construction work applicable to building; whether he is aware that the master builders' association have agreed to and do pay 6d. per hour for all labourers employed on work of this kind; whether he has been informed that the corporation pay 6d. per hour for all men employed on the roads in the mortar and stone yards; whether he is aware that this firm by paying 5d. per hour are acting contrary to the wishes of the master builders and the workmen's trades unions of the borough; will he take the necessary steps to ascertain the recognised rates for this class of work by making an appeal to the borough surveyor, the president of the master builders' association, and the secretary of the trades council; and will he act upon the recommendation made by any two of the above-named gentlemen should they make a recommendation, or what steps does he intend to take to support the Fair Wage Resolution of this House, which the men's unions claim is being violated.
§ MR. MCKENNAIn reply to these Questions, the lock contractors at present employ sixteen men at 5d.; eighty-seven men at 5½d.; thirty-seven men at 6d. It cannot be said that any of the men employed at less than 6d. can be classified as navvies. No protest such as is referred to in the Question of the hon. Member for Stoke has been received, but a letter has been received from the Master Builders and Building Trades' Association in the following terms: "In reply to your favour of yesterday's date as to wages of outside navvies or excavators, I beg to inform you that the rules I sent you only apply to workmen engaged on buildings, and I regret I have no knowledge of the general rate of wage for navvies and excavators engaged on other works, such as docks, bridges, piers, etc., and I am not aware of the existence of 1565 any trade union rate for this class of workmen. No doubt such firms as Sir John Jackson, Ltd., Messrs. S. Pearson & Son, Ltd., Messrs. Walter Scott & Middleton, would be able to give you the information you require." As to the other points on which I am interrogated, I have not yet received information which would enable me to reply.
§ MR. CURRAN (Durham, Jarrow)Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the building trade generally 6d. per hour is recognised as the standard wage?
§ MR. MCKENNAThere is no dispute as to that.
§ MR. BRAMSDON (Portsmouth)Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Portsmouth Corporation pay the labourers who are engaged by the hour at the rate of 6d?
§ MR. MCKENNAThat may be, but there is a distinction between different classes of labour employed by the council, and I understand in some cases they only pay 4½d. per hour.
§ MR. ALEXANDER CROSS (Glasgow, Camlachie)Are not these contractors an enterprising Scottish firm who have encountered a good deal of hostility from other firms in the trade from whom they have taken much work?
§ MR. T. F. RICHARDSIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that master builders recognise that all men employed in construction work for builders are entitled to 6d. per hour, which is paid by all contractors at Portsmouth? Does not the president of the Master Builders Society assert that these men are also entitled to 6d.?
§ MR. MCKENNAI have read the exact terms of the letter I have received.
§ MR. JOHN WARDIs it not the fact that builders employ navvies for excavating work for foundations and pay them 6d. per hour?
§ MR. MCKENNAI agree that for work generally done by navvies 6d. per hour is the rate paid. I will inquire into further points raised by hon. Members.