§ 15. Sir CLEMENT KINLOCH-COOKEasked whether, in giving the recent rise in pay to certain classes of men employed in the Royal Navy and Royal dockyards, he took into consideration the position of the assistants in the Naval Store Department; whether he is aware that these men enter as boys by competitive examination (a recent order allowing the naval store officer to select boys from the dockyard apprentices list); that in 1904 their wages were 5s. per week in advance of the ordinary labourers, whereas now they are on an equality, and this is the case even with assistants receiving 25s. a week, seeing that labourers employed in breaking up stores receive 4d. extra a day; and whether, in view of these facts, he can see his way to placing the men employed in the Naval Store Department on a footing more in keeping with the duties required from them?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am afraid that I can give no undertaking with regard to the revision of the scale of pay of storehouse assistants.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIn consequence of the unsatisfactory nature of the right hon. Gentleman's answer, I beg to give notice that in the course of the Debate this afternoon I shall raise the point again.