§ MR. W. J. CORBETasked the Postmaster General, Whether, since the rule requiring the made-up clothing to be sent over here from Ireland for inspection and approval is no longer insisted on, the Contract recently entered into has been given to an Irish firm; and, if not, whether the rejection of all tenders from Irish firms is caused by the question raised as to the hardship of requiring the clothing to be sent to London for inspection?
§ MR. CHILDERSSir, my right hon. Friend the Postmaster General has asked me to answer this Question, I presume because the War Department actually accepts these tenders in consultation with the Post Office. I must confess that I cannot understand the second half of the Question, which refers to the "hardship of requiring the clothing to be sent to London for inspection," inasmuch as the tender from the only Irish firm which desired inspection in Ireland was made on the basis of inspection in Dublin. This tender, however, was not accepted, because it was at the rate of above £700 a-year, or £2,200 in all above the tender actually accepted. I could not advise the Postmaster General 303 to incur this extra expense merely for the sake of the work being done in Ireland.