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59
at a cost of £17 10*. 0d.; and the men were instructed to wear their
badges on the leg. The masons and paviours, objecting to wear
badges in this form, were afterwards supplied with smaller badges
to be worn on the arm.
The standing order requiring the Medical Officer of Health to
certify in cases of absence from illness on the part of any workman
(see page 13) was adopted on the Committee's recommendation on
the 29th May 1895. as was also the order with regard to workmen
using the Depot tools upon other than Vestry work on the 30th
October 1895.
The whole of the workmen submitted a petition in June 1895 in
favour of the total abolition of the hour system, and asked to be
made weekly servants at a regular wage and allowed one week's
holiday in summer; and the Roads and Depot. Committee was
engaged throughout the year and down to the close of this Report
in considering a scheme for meeting the wishes of the men and
forming a provident or superannuation fund in connection therewith.
A recommendation from the Committee to pay the men engaged
at the Country Depots in unloading an additional halfpenny per
ton was referred back by the Vestry on the 10th July 1895, with a
view to their being paid a weekly wage.
Strike of Loaders at Town Depot.—In connection with the petition
above referred to the men engaged in loading the mixture and
refuse into trucks at the Depot by piecework—hitherto regarded as
jobbing men and not included in the permanent staff—claimed to
be placed on the same footing as the other men, and struck work.
The matter was brought before the Vestry by one of its members
(Mr. Longley) on the 29th May 1895, and after some discussion his
motion to allow the men to start work at the old rate of pay and
refer the subject to the Depot Committee was carried. The Committee
after careful consideration brought up a report on the 12th
June explaining the working of the piecework system, urging that
the adoption of a regular wage of 6d. per hour for the loaders as
against the present rate of 2½d. per ton would entail a large increase
on the estimates, and recommending:—
That the conditions put into forcc by the Clerk for payment to loaders at