asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies the general rates of wages paid to male, female, and child labourers in the rubber plantations in the Straits Settlements?

The following average rates of daily wages are taken from the Straits Settlements Blue Book, 1927:

	Male.	Female.
Singapore:	Cents.	Cents.
Indian Tappers	50–70	40–60
Weeders	50–60	40–50
Factory coolies	60–80	—

Chinese.—Paid on results 20½35 cents. per Kati. Javanese Tappers.—Paid on results 20–35 cents. per Kati.
	Male.	Female.
Penang:	Cents.	Cents.
Tappers	40–45	35–40
Weeders	—	25–35
Malacca:
Tappers	40–50	—
Weeders, etc.	40–45	30–40
Store coolies	55–60	—
Chinese	Contract rates
Javanese and Malays	50–60 cents.

Separate information regarding the rates of wages paid to children is not available but it is being obtained by despatch, and will be communicated to my hon. and gallant Friend when received.