§ 39. Mr. Edmund Harveyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will take steps to secure that, in all concessions for the working of minerals, provision shall be made to ensure the observance of the terms of the International Labour Conventions to which His Majesty's Government is a party.
§ Colonel StanleyThe practice in the Colonial Empire is to ensure observance of the terms of International Labour Conventions by the enactment of legislation in the Colonies to which they have been applied and not by the insertion of special conditions in individual contracts.
§ Mr. HarveyWould not the insertion of the conditions in the contract be a valuable example to other nations to ensure the proper carrying out of the conditions?
§ Colonel StanleyI cannot see that, if the matter is covered by legislation in the Colonies, there is any benefit at all in inserting similar provisions in individual contracts.
Dr. MorganWould not the insertion of the conditions in the individual contract help the individual worker to realise that something is being done to educate him for his position?
§ Colonel StanleyWhat the hon. Member suggested was that it should be in the contract with the companies. I think the men would be much more likely to realise their rights by learning through legislation passed in the Colony.