§ Mr. WATTasked (1) whether the Northern Nigerian Government insist on their foreman engineers on the Lagos Railway Northern Extension working on Sundays; whether the weekly hours of work have recently been increased from 48 to 56½, the 8½ hours additional being Sunday labour; whether any extra pay is allowed these men for Sunday work; if so, is it calculated as if working on Sundays is paid for in the annual salary; and (2) whether the Northern Nigerian Government, in computing the rates of wages of the railway engineers from their annual salaries, do so on the basis of 365 working days in the year; and whether it is expressly stipulated that any overtime paid for Sunday labour must be taken as a bonus liable to be withheld on any pretext; and, if so, will he explain to the House why this system has been adopted?
Mr. HARCOURTI do not possess the detailed information necessary to enable me to reply to the two questions of my hon. Friend, but I will address an inquiry on the subject to the Acting Governors of Northern and Southern Nigeria. I may explain that the Lagos Northern Extension is being constructed by Southern, not Northern, Nigeria.