§ MR. ALEXANDER M'ARTHURasked the Secretary of State for War, If it be true, as reported, that in Port Gomer, Gosport, there are in No. 3 Room three men, three women, and nine children; in No. 4 Room, two men, three women, and nine children; in No. 14 Room, three men, three women, and nine children; in No. 15 Room, three men, three women, and eight children; and that in none of the rooms referred to are there partitions, screens, or curtains; and, if it be true, that there are similar instances of over-crowding also in Port Grange; and, if so, whether steps will be taken to remedy such overcrowding?
MR. GATHORNE HARDY, in reply, said, that in respect to Port Gomer the statement in the Question was correct, except as to the number of children, which was smaller. The rooms were large rooms, and at night curtains were put up, though they were not kept up during the day, because, being casemates, they would obstruct both 1022 the ventilation and the light in the day time. Unfortunately, those forts were not near a place where lodgings could be procured, and the men submitted to inconvenience rather than be separated by a distance of two miles from their work, their comrades, and the reading rooms. In the case of Port 'Grange, there were two families in those rooms which were built for 14 men, and therefore, as far as cubic space was concerned, there, as also at Port Gomer, there was ample space for the inmates. He would endeavour to see what could be done, but the matter was one of extreme difficulty, because there was not barrack accommodation in the neighbourhood. However, every provision would be made by the officer in command as far as possible to preserve decency and order.