GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS AND WAGES.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12487, 13 March 1909, Page 3

GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS AND WAGES.

A MEMBER AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.

[Pbess Association. — Copyright.]

London, March 11. In the House of Commons, in the discussion of the Postal estimates, Mr A. P. "Hedges (L.) moved the. insertion of a stricter fair wages clause in Government contracts. This led to Mr Sydney Buxton, Postmaster General, making the desired amendment, which the House agreed to, the Labourites accepting it as satisfactory. During the debate the Unionists and some Radical free traders objected to au endeavour to compel an official recognition of local trade .union rates instead, of the present fair wages clause, because it was. opposed" to the principle of freetrade and the Government's I ' system of placing contracts abroad; where earners of lower wages were under no disability. The executive of the East Herts. Unionist Association withdrew " confidence from Mr A. H. Smith, Conservative M.P. for Herts. E., on the" fiscal question . Lord . Salisbury, in a letter assenting from the decision,, has resigned the Presidency of the Association. He described Mr v Smitli "as one of the best representatives in the country, adding that the fiscal question' was only a part, and not tte! most important part of the Unionist 1 policy. ■