§ Mr. J. BELLasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been drawn to the case of the men serving under Admiralty agreement at His Majesty's naval yard, Simon's Town; whether he is aware that under a pre-War agreement men were in receipt of approximately 25 per cent, above that of the locally hired men; that under the recent award of the Wages Assessment Board locally hired employés are now receiving considerably more than the men sent from Home under agreement; that no local Whitley council or arbitration board exists at this dockyard to whom these men can appeal; and whether, in view of the fact that these Home-men are specially selected, highly trained, and in a majority of cases sent out as specialists in their respective branches, he will favourably consider their position for a readjustment of wages?
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§ Sir J. CRAIGI am fully aware of the facts of the case. The claims of the employés in question have been brought to notice in the form of a petition which was forwarded by the Captain in charge and received at the Admiralty on 17th November, and they are receiving careful attention in the light of the circumstances to which the hon. Member refers.