§ 11. Mr. C. BATHURSTasked the President of the Board of Agriculture what are the average and the minimum wages, respectively, of labourers employed in the Royal Gardens, Kew; how they compare with gardeners in the London parks; and whether there has been any, and, if any, what, increase of pay to meet the increased cost of living during the last five years?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANLabourers at Kew Gardens receive 24s. a week, rising to 25s. after five years' satisfactory service. The rate of pay is the same as in the case of labourers employed at Hampton Court, Richmond Park and Bushey Park, which are more nearly analogous than the London parks. I am informed that labourers in the London parks receive 27s. or 28s. The labourers at Kew received an increase of 1s. a week as from the 1st April last, and one of the considerations taken into accoun in this decision was the increased cost of living.
§ Mr, C. BATHURSTAm I to understand from that reply that in the case of these labourers there is no difference between the average and the minimum wage and that they all receive the same wage?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI think the labourers as a class do receive the same, but there are some people who are only employed for purely temporary purposes, and they are not paid a full week's wage.