§ Mr. WILLIAM THORNEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the New Explosives Company, at Stowmarket, have a contract with the Admiralty; is he aware that the firm are paying their employés less than the local firms by many shillings per week; if he is aware that Messrs. Kynochs' firm, at Birmingham, are paying 23s. per week and the Government are paying 26s. per week for the same class of work; that the firm at Stowmarket are paying 15s. 11d. per week for a week of fifty-four and a-half hours; and whether he will have inquiries made into the matter, and if he finds that the firm in question are paying less wages than the local firms, what action he intends taking against the firm to make them carry out the Fair-Wages Clause of the House of Commons?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am already in communication with the Board of Trade with a view to obtaining information in this matter, and also to ascertain whether any inquiry can properly be made under the Fair-Wages Clause without prejudice to the interests of both parties whilst a strike is in progress.