§ 13. Mr. Rankinasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies at what rate the Central Electricity Board of Mauritius pays contractors for labour; and the usual rate paid by contractors to their workmen.
§ Mr. ProfumoThe Central Electricity Board puts out to contract certain works such as the erection of poles for overhead lines. Contracts are based on tenders per unit of work and are not directly related to wages. Details of wages paid by contractors arc not available, but the normal wage for a contractor's labourer is about five or six shillings a day.
§ Mr. RankinCan the Under-Secretary tell me how the rate now paid by the contractors to these workmen compares with the rate paid to them by the Central Electricity Board when they were employed directly by the Board?
§ Mr. ProfumoI am afraid that I cannot give that information without notice.