§ Mr. TYSON WILSONasked the Secretary of State for War whether he can state the result of the inquiry into the allegation that the firm of S. Thomas and Son, Government contractors, Redditch, was violating the Fair Wages Clause?
§ Mr. HALDANEA very searching investigation has been made into the circumstances of this case, and the attention of
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Detail. Number. Highest. Lowest. Average. Remarks. Factory— Women, pieceworkers 1,239 41/9½ 8/10½ 20/- These rates include "Broken-timers." Women, timeworkers, employed in ripping garments, etc. 49 23/6 15/- 15/5½ Girls, assembling parts of garments into bundles 30 10/- 6/- 7/0½ Men, skilled 62 45/- 23/- 34/5 Men, unskilled 31 26/- 23/- 24/1 Store and inspection— Women, viewing hosiery, buttons, etc. 28 21/- 15/- 15/2 Girls, marking inspected hosiery, etc. 21 11/- 6/- 7/9 One girl at 13/6, and two at 12/- included in average. Storehousemen 303 26/- 23/- 23/7 Three men at 29/-included in average. Storehousemen (pieceworkers, packing) 34 29/- 25/7 27/- Artificers, viewers, etc. 115 54/- 24/- 34/10 N.B.—The above is exclusive of those whose duties mainly consist of supervision. Sixty learners, women with under six months' service, whose average earnings are 9/2 per week, are not included in the detail of Factory women pieceworkers. the firm has been drawn to the various points on which complaint was made. It appears, however, that the Fair Wages Clause in the contract has not been violated except in regard to the wages paid to a blacksmith, which the firm will be required to raise to the standard rate.