§ MR. HANBURY TRACYsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, Whether the necessary work required in the external painting and whitewashing of the Royal Artillery and East Infantry Barracks at Aldershot, for the performance of which tenders have been invited by public advertisement, could not be undertaken by Military labour, under the direction of the Commanding Royal Engineer of the district; and, what would be the saving effected including advertising, if soldiers were employed to do the work, paying them by the piece according to the existing regulations?
CAPTAIN VIVIANsaid, in reply, that it had been found impossible to employ military labour for work such as that referred to. Such work, to be done efficiently, must be done continuously, and as Aldershot was designed for instructing the men in field movements it was impossible to give them continuous work of any sort. When this work was done by the soldiers in 1865 it took five months, instead of three, and the cost was £ 100 beyond the ordinary estimate.