HC Deb 24 April 1940 vol 360 cc193-4
36. Mr. David Adams

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the measures taken for the removal of unrest and distress in Trinidad arising from the high cost of living, low wages, unemployment and kindred causes?

Mr. M. MacDonald

As the reply is rather long, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the Official Report.

Following is the reply:

Joint conferences between the employers' associations and the trades unions in the sugar and oil industries in Trinidad were held with the Governor in January. As a result, the standard wage rate in the oil industry was increased by two cents an hour, and in addition a war bonus was instituted, calculated on a cost-of-living sliding scale of half per cent. per hour increase for every complete rise of five points in the Government index figure. In effect this meant an immediate increase in wages of an additional one cent per hour. The union undertook not to request any further increase in the standard wage during the war and six months thereafter, or for two years, whichever period is the longer. It was also agreed to establish a conciliation board to consist of representatives of the Trinidad Oilfields Employers Association and the Oilfield Workers Trade Union, with the Government Industrial Adviser as chairman.

In the sugar industry the union accepted provisionally an offer of the manufacturers to increase the wages of the field and factory workers by five cents a day or task and to forego a deduction of 13 cents a ton on the price of the farmers' cane to which they were entitled under the Cane Farming Control Ordinance. Three of the Committee of the Joint Sugar Board were appointed to inquire into wages to be paid for the crop season of the present year and the price to be paid to cane farmers for their cane, as well as to advise the board on general cultivation. The Government of Trinidad has made orders regulating the prices of certain essential foodstuffs. It has also made funds available to provide meals for necessitous children during term time and has increased the provision for supplying milk to school children.