§ 18. Mr. C. DUNCANasked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he has received a petition from the chargemen of trades, draughtsmen, and station supervisors stationed at Hong Kong Yard for some increase in pay to meet the increased cost of living; whether he is aware that these men have been denied the advance granted to the storehousemen, with the result that the latter are now in receipt of higher wages than the former; and whether he will reconsider the matter or have it submitted to the Government Conciliation and Arbitration Board?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAYes, Sir; such a petition has been received. We cannot agree that the circumstances warrant an increase in emoluments. The comparison between the storehousemen on the one hand and the chargemen, draughtsmen, and station supervisors on the other is misleading, because the conditions of service are different. As regards the last point in the question, the employés referred to by my hon. Friend wrote to the Conciliation and Arbitration Board, and that body informed them that it was outside their jurisdiction to deal with the emoluments of persons employed abroad.