Letters and Papers Concerning the Trans-Persian Railway and Other Railways in Persia [‎134v] (268/442)

1897
Oral Answers.
1898
HOUSE OF COMMONS Oral Answers.
Mr. BURNS : I have communicated with
the clerk to the rural district council of
Neath on this matter. I understand that
plans for the twenty-four wooden and gal
vanised iron huts were submitted to the
council, and that the council only con
sented to their erection as temporary
buildings. I am, however, addressing a
further communication to the council on
the subject. I ought, perhaps, to add that
the population of the parish in which
these buildings were erected has increased
very rapidly in consequence of the open
ing of a large colliery.
Trade Boards Act (Shirtmakers’ Wages).
31. Major ANSTRUTHER-GRAY asked
the President of the Board of Trade the
reason that shirtmaking was excluded
from the Trades Board Act; and whether,
considering the low wages earned by the
shirtmakers, in many cases only averaging
l^d. an hour, he will consider whether
steps can now be taken to bring them
under the Trades Board Act ?
Mr. BUXTON : Shirtmaking is not one
of the four trades specified in the Schedule
to the Trade Boards Act. The reasons
for its non-inclusion can presumably be
gathered from the Debates which took
place on the subject. In particular I may
refer the hon. Member to the Debates of
16th July, 1909 ; on which date an Amend
ment to the Bill to include shirtmaking in
the Schedule was discussed and with
drawn. When the time to consider exten
sion of the Act arrives the case of shirt
making will certainly be carefully con
sidered among other trades.
Major ANSTRUTHER-GRAY: Can the
right hon. Gentleman give any indication
as to when that time will arise?
Mr. BUXTON : We are considering the
matter on the information which we are
now acquiring.
MARQUESS of TULUBARDINE: In
view of the fact that 8d. a dozen is the
usual sum paid to those people for shirts,
will the right hon. Gentleman inquire into
the matter to see if something cannot be
done ?
Mr. BUXTON : les. We have not had
very much experience yet. It has taken
some time to get the Act into operation.
Shirtmaking will be one of the first cases
to be considered when we do extend the
Act.
Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKE: Has the
right hon. Gentleman read the report of
the House of Lords Sweating Committee
on this subject?
Mr. BUXTON : I have no doubt I have.
Colour-Blindness (Sight Tests).
32. Mr. LYNCH asked the right hon.
Gentleman whether the results obtained
by the Committee on Sight Tests have
been of a nature to demonstrate the
superiority of the lantern test for colour
blindness over the wool test; and whether,
seeing that the lantern invented by Dr.
Edridge-Green has been found satisfac
tory by the Admiralty, he can explain -why
the Board of Trade proposes to adopt
another lantern ?
Mr. BUXTON : I am not aware that the
Report of the Departmental Committee on
Sight Tests contains any expression of
opinion as to whether the wool test or the
lantern test is the better test for colour
blindness. In the opinion of the Com
mittee each method is to some extent sup
plementary to the other. The recommen
dations of the Committee are at present
receiving my careful consideration with a
view to giving effect to them so far as pos
sible at the earliest possible date.
Mr. J. H. THOMAS : Will the right hon.
Gentleman also consider the advisability
of having a uniform test for railway men,
having regard to the large number of
failures which now take place?
M. BUXTON : Perhaps the hon. Mem
ber would give notice, as I would like to
consider the matter.
Mr. LYNCH: Will an opportunity be
given of practically demonstrating this
method to the Board of Trade representa
tives ?
Mr. BUXTON : The Committee was ap
pointed, and I had no control over their
proceedings. I do not know whether they
have taken this form of testing into ac
count. Their recommendations will re
ceive very careful consideration.
Army Debate.
47. Mr. HUNT asked whether the Prime
Minister, in view of the fact that the
Patronage Secretary to the Treasury, m
order to bring the Debate to a close last
year, gave the House to understand that
another day would be allowed for a
general Debate on the Army, and that the
day was not given, can see his way to give