asked the Minister for Lands and Fisheries whether he is aware that men employed under the Land Commission are in many cases being paid at the low rate of 4/- per day and whether he is prepared to give early and favourable consideration to the question of increasing this low rate of wages.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wages Paid By Land Commission.
Labourers employed by the Land Commission on Improvement Works are in many cases the small-holders whose holdings are being enlarged or benefited by improvements, or their sons, and in practically all other cases are agricultural labourers.
They are paid at the rates prevailing in the particular districts for agricultural labourers and these rates, in some cases, are 4/- per day. The Land Commission do not consider it advisable that they should depart from their general practice of paying the prevailing agricultural wage.
Might I ask the Parliamentary Secretary (1) whether the remuneration of 4/- a day is intended to be a wage rate quite apart from the other considerations mentioned by the Parliamentary Secretary; (2) whether he considers a rate of 4/- a day, with broken time, a proper wage to pay having regard to the existing high cost of living, and (3) whether he considers that the Government should pay a rate of wages by comparison with the agricultural industry, which is at present passing through a period of unparalleled crisis?
The matter will have further consideration.