§ MR. JOHN WARDI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his attention has been called to a case at the Burslem police court on 14th April, in which the stipendiary magistrate appears to have recommended a system of striking a percentage of the wage paid instead of making deductions from the worker's wages; and whether any steps have been taken to inquire into the effect of the stipendiary's advice upon the proper enforcement of the law with reference to truck in the general trades of the country.
§ MR. GLADSTONEMy attention has been called to this case, as the prosecution was one undertaken by the Factory Inspector of the district. The question at issue was whether the percentage system was equivalent to a deduction from wages or was merely a statement of the method of calculating the worker's wage. I have referred the point to the Truck Committee for their consideration.