§ 21. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether every painter, including intermediate rates, will receive the increase of 2s. hired and 1s. 6d. established men?
§ 22. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked whether the Admiralty allow four days' leave a year with full pay to seamen and stokers employed on dockyard tugs, six days to mates, and eight days to masters; and whether it is the intention of the Admiralty, in the cases of those men whose leave has been stopped since the outbreak of War, to remunerate them as on the occasion of the last August Bank holiday?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe leave allowances for seamen and stokers, masters and mates on dockyard tugs were until recently as stated, but the allowances have recently been increased to the following scale, namely, masters, twelve days; mates, nine days; seamen and stokers, six days. The new allowances are shown in the replies to the petitions, a copy of which has been sent to the hon. Member. Leave of absence in all cases is dependent upon the convenience of the Service, and the yard craft men referred to are by no means the only employés who have not been able to take the leave usually allowed to them.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEDo I understand that the right hon. Gentleman sent me a copy of the petitions?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAYes, Sir, two copies.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEI have not received them.
§ 23. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware of the work done by riggers in the Royal dockyards since the War started; that riggers have been called upon to work at all times of the night and expose themselves to all kinds of weather; and whether, in these circumstances, he can see his way to advance their pay by 1s. instead of 6d., which is regarded by riggers generally as a sum not in any way equal to the special work they have been called upon to perform?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe Admiralty are fully acquainted with the good work done by riggers and the circumstances under which the work has been performed. The small increase of pay recently granted, as from 1st October last, makes the uniform rate for riggers equal to the maximum special rate for skilled labourers.
§ 24. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been called to the wages paid to the 3rd and 4th class women employed on the spinning floor at the Ropery, His Majesty's dockyard, Devonport; whether he is aware that the wages are 15s. and 13s. a week, respectively, and that it takes 10 to 12 years to get an in crease owing to having to wait for a vacancy in the 2nd class; and whether, in view of the increased cost of living and the fact that these women are for the most part widows of sailors who have died at the post of duty, he can see his way to give them a rise of 1s. a week?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe women employed at the Ropery at Devonport dockyard are divided into 1st, 2nd, and 3rd class machinists and probationers. The respective rates of pay are 20s., 17s. 6d., 15s., and 13s. per week, but these rates of pay do not represent the actual earnings, as the women are paid on a scheme of prices under which the excess of their earnings over the time rates at present amounts to from 15 to 20 per cent. In accordance with the dockyard regulations, in the engaging of women for employment at the Roperies, preference is given to widows whose husbands have died in the Service and to respectable orphan girls. The probationers are advanced to 3rd class machinists after twelve months' service, or before if proficient. The advancement to 1st and 2nd class machinists is made in 376 vacancies, and as the women in the 1st and 2nd classes usually remain in the Service for long periods, the vacancies occur infrequently, and consequently the advancement from one class to another commonly takes place at intervals of some years. I am afraid that I can give no undertaking in regard to the last part of the question.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEDoes not the percentage of wages only come to 15s. a week in the 3rd class?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe hon. Gentleman can make his own calculation.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEI have done so.