§ Mr. Thorneasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings whether he is now in a position to give any information in regard to the evidence of a builder's hodman, in the Southend police court on the 12th October last, that he had been earning an average weekly wage of £12 on an Admiralty building contract job?
§ Mr. HicksYes, Sir. I am glad to have the opportunity of exploding this myth. The man was engaged on an Admiralty contract in Lincolnshire from 15th August to 29th August inclusive. He worked 15 days including two Sundays for which double the normal rate is paid. The total wages drawn by him were £17 17s. 9d. 453W excluding lodging allowance at the rate of 3s. 6d. a night payable by the Ministry of Labour. Part of these wages were, however, found by the Admiralty check to be incorrect, and the total amount allowed to the contractor by the Admiralty was £14 os. 6d. for 15 days, which amounts to considerably less than the man claimed he had received.