[149]
At the end of October a Treasury Minute was published to the effect that
such prices were to be allowed for Relief Works, executed by task, as
would enable good labourers to earn from one shilling to one shilling
and sixpence a day; the day's work system, at the wages fixed by the
Treasury Minute of the 31st of August, was to be in future confined to
those who were unable or unwilling to work by task. There was some
concession in this. Under it the labourer could choose piece work or
day's work as seemed more advantageous to himself. The spirit, at least,
of the August Treasury Minute was, that all should work by task. "The
persons employed on the Relief Works," says that Minute, "should, to the
utmost possible extent, be paid in proportion to the work actually done
by them." In a few instances task work was reported to have given
satisfaction, but in the great majority of cases it was resisted by the
labourers, and it sometimes resulted in serious disturbances, as we have
seen. The local Committees, who had much to do with preparing the lists
of those whose circumstances made them proper objects for the public
works, were repeatedly complained of by the Government officials.
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