9 8 
THE HOUSING QUESTION 
Ministry that they should enforce their own clause 
in the contract, which laid down that the workmen 
should be paid neither more nor less than the standard 
building-trade wages in the district. The fact that 
these men were being paid much less than the standard 
rates could not be disputed, nor could it be disputed 
that the builder was making a great deal more profit 
(all out of the pocket of the taxpayer) than his contract 
and its schedule entitled him to. 
In spite of repeated representations, the Ministry 
have refused to interfere and have allowed, firstly, the 
workmen to be paid all the time a sweated wage, 
directly contrary to the terms of the contract, and, 
secondly, have allowed this builder to obtain from the 
Treasury a sum far in excess of that to which he was 
entitled under his contract. 
This scandalous case is typical of the attitude of 
the officials of the Ministries of Health and of Labour 
during the last three years towards working men. 
There is a Government Committee, known as the 
Building Labour Committee, composed principally of 
representatives of these Ministries. This Committee 
adjudicates on claims by local operatives to obtain 
standard rates of wages, which of course vary from 
district to district. 
The decisions of the Building Labour Committee 
have been all along unfavourable to the claims of 
working men. Even in cases where an Award by 
the Local Conciliation Board has gone in favour of the 
men, the Ministry of Health have refused to be bound