§ Captain BOWYERasked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware of the discrepancy between the wages paid to the covenanted subordinate staff of the railways in India as compared with the awards granted to all trades in England; whether he is aware that petitions were submitted to the Railway Board for the improvement of these conditions; that no official acknowledgment or consideration was given for almost two years; and that the appeal for the hardships of these conditions to be removed or alleviated and for the granting of benefits enjoyed by 930W other Government Departments in India has been totally rejected by the Indian Railway Board; and whether, in view of the dissatisfaction prevalent as a result of this decision, he will take steps to have the whole case reconsidered?
§ Mr. FISHERThe Government of India inform me that the pay of covenanted and other subordinates on the Indian railways has recently been substantially increased, and that, while they do not consider a further general increase to be required at the present time, the constantly changing conditions are receiving their close attention. As I am informing the hon. Member in reply to another question, I am awaiting further particulars from the Government of India before considering whether any further action is necessary.
§ Captain BOWYERasked the Secretary of State for India whether he will grant free or assisted passages (on leave) to covenanted civil employés on railways in India on a system similar to that applied to the military and other Government Departments there; and, if not, will he explain the reasons for making this differentiation?
§ Mr. FISHERI will consider the question of granting free passages to covenanted employés on Indian railways coming home on leave.
§ Captain BOWYERasked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that covenanted railway employés, when home on leave from India, are still paid the same allowance and rate of pay as before the War, in spite of the greatly increased cost of living and of the big advance in all wages in this country; whether he is aware that it is only the financial advantage gained from the present rate of exchange which at all makes it possible for these men to come homo on leave; and whether he will take steps to increase the leave allowance of these men forthwith?
§ Mr. FISHERThe rise in the rate of exchange has had the effect of very considerably increasing the amounts drawn by railway employés who come to this country on leave, as compared with those drawn before the War. I am about to consider the question of applying to these employés rules recently adopted for other officers of the Government of 931W India under which furlough on half-pay may be exchanged for a shorter period of leave on full pay.
§ Captain BOWYERasked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that only recently have the Railway Board approved of a scale of increases of salaries in India to men covenanted from England to cater for the increased cost of clothing and living; that only 16.66 per cent. to 21.42 per cent. on prewar wages is given now; that the remainder is to be given in yearly instalments; and that this will extend to 1922 or 1924 before the maximum, which is 33.33 per cent. to 44.44 per cent. is reached; and whether he will take any, and, if so, what, steps to enlarge and to hasten the full payment of this increment?
§ Mr. FISHERI have ascertained from the Government of India that revised scales of pay have recently been sanctioned for workshop employés of the subordinate supervising class on the Indian State Railways and most of the Companies' lines. The application of these scales has been so regulated on the State Railways that every man in this class receives an immediate increase of about Rs. 50 monthly. A general revision of the pay of the staff in other classes has been carried out, and the mileage and overtime allowances for the running staff have been increased. I am asking the Government of India for further particulars, on receipt of which I will consider whether any further action is called for.