§ 17. Mr. TREVELYANasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is yet in a position to report the results of the investigation with the Colonial Office into the demand of the Singapore United Rubber Plantations Company, Limited, that less wages should be paid to coolie labour employed at the naval base, on the ground that it is tending to raise the cost of local coolie labour?
Mr. DAVIDSONInformation has now been received from the Admiralty Officer in Charge of Works, the Colonial authorities and the Rubber Growers' Association, from which it is clear that the wages of the Admiralty employés are in excess of the wages of those employed by the rubber planters; but, having regard to the different nature of the work upon which they are employed, the Admiralty are not satisfied that there is sufficient ground to order a reduction in the rates at present in force.