§ Mr. HUDSONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if his attention has been called to the action of the firm of Armstrong, Whitworth and Company, Elswick, in not paying a number of fully-qualified engineers the rate of wages which obtain in the district; and whether this firm is supposed to conform to the Fair Wages Clause passed by this House?
§ Mr. McKENNAThere is no trace of any case as alleged in the first part of the question. The answer to the second part is in the affirmative.
§ Mr. HUDSONWill the right hon. Gentleman be prepared to receive a statement from the committee of the engineers?
§ Mr. McKENNAOh, certainly; if my hon. Friend will write to me generally I will look into the matter, but I have been unable to trace any case.
§ Mr. HUDSONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can now say whether a decision has been arrived at respecting the complaint of the executive council of the Electrical Trades Union against the firm of Armstrong, Whitworth and Company, Elswick, not paying the fair wages due to certain electrical wiremen according to contract?
§ Mr. McKENNANo decision has yet been arrived at. This matter has been the subject of considerable correspondence with both the firm of Messrs. Armstrong and the secretary of the Electrical Trades Union, with a view to elucidate the correct facts of the case. The last action was a letter dated 17th April last to the Electrical Trades Union, asking for further information, to which no reply has as yet been received.