§ Mr. REDDYasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the sailors and firemen employed on the Royal Mail steamer "Partridge" are only paid 28s. per week; that the company have recently compelled the men to sign an agreement to the effect that no extra pay is to be given under any circumstances; that Messrs. G. and J. Burns, Limited, are compelling their men to run extra turns without payment; that the Royal Mail steamer "Partridge" carries 1,000 passengers at times, and that only eight able seamen are employed; and whether he will cause inquiries to be made as to the conditions of labour on the mail steamers of Messrs. G. and J. Burns, Limited, with a view to preventing over-work and under-pay?
§ Mr. SYDNEY BUXTONI fear it would not be practicable to insert a fair wage clause in the contracts with steamship companies when the contracts are simply for the conveyance of mails. The staff employed by these companies is large, and the work performed in connection with the mails represents only a very small proportion of the whole work of the companies' servants. The other question raised by my hon. Friend respecting the number of 2443W seamen employed on the steamer "Partridge" is one which concerns the Board of Trade rather than the Post Office; and I have already referred a previous complaint on this point to the Board.