§ 66. Mr. PALINGasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can make any statement showing the rates of monthly wages in the different provinces of Tanganyika before and since the abolition of the Labour Department; and whether any system has been arrived at for regulating wages on the basis of the cost of living or on the prices being obtained by producers for their crops?
Mr. THOMASThe Labour Department was abolished in 1931. Figures of wages by provinces are not available, but figures of average wages in different occupations in the Territory are given at length in the annual Blue Books. I am sending the hon. Member appropriate extracts from the Blue Books for 1930 and 1934. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.
§ Mr. PALINGIs it not a fact that wages have dropped tremendously, even more than prices, and that lately there has been a rise in prices without a corresponding rise in wages, and is it the intention of the Government to re-establish the Labour Department?