§ MR. CLYNES (Manchester, N.E.)I beg to ask the Postmaster-General if he is aware that men are employed in connection with the new sorting warehouse, Newton Street, Manchester, doing the work of concretors at 6½d. and less per hour; whether the rules of the Master Builders' Association in the district provide for the payment of 8d. per hour for such work as the men named are engaged on; and, if so, can some step be taken to bring the contractor within the scope of the fair contracts regulations and secure for the workmen the recognised rates of pay.
§ THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (Mr. HARCOURT,) Lancashire, N.E., RossendaleI have been giving careful attention to this matter, and cannot find that the working rules for the district provide for the payment of 8d. per hour for such work as these men are doing, which is ordinary work similar to that usually carried out by labourers in connection with concrete floors and does not involve special or skilled labour of concretors properly so called. I do not see any reason to interfere, as the men are undoubtedly being paid the full wages current in the district for work of this kind.
§ MR. CLYNESIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the rules of the Masons' Society provide for the employment of skilled labour on this work?
§ MR. HARCOURTNot on this particular form of concrete work.