§ MR. RYLANDSasked the First Commissioner of Works, Whether it is true, as stated in The Civilian of February 9th, that five officials of the Board of Works have been dismissed in consequence of dishonest conduct. in connection with public contracts; and, if such dismissals have taken place, whether he will give information to the House as to the names and appointments of the officials in question, and as to the nature of the charges alleged against them?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVRESir, the de tails given in the paper referred to by my hon. Friend are not accurate; but I am sorry to say that there is much foundation for the substance of the statement. The facts are these. In consequence of changes which I made last year in the Office of Works, it has recently come to light that the contractors for the supply of an article very largely in use in the Public Departments—namely, linoleum, have for some time past been supplying a very inferior article, charging for it the full price for the best material under the contract. They have also, in several cases, charged for linoleum in excess of the quantity delivered. On submitting the case to the Law Officers of the Crown, I was advised that, upon the information before us, it was not expedient to prosecute this firm for fraud, but that the overcharge should be recovered against them. In some few cases the inferior linoleum was rejected by the officers of the Department, but in the great majority of cases the officers responsible for the receipt of these goods accepted them, and upon their certificate as to quality and quantity the contractors were paid. The case was of so serious a character, involving such gross and repeated breaches of duty—if not something more serious—that I have felt it my painful duty, in the interests of the Department and of the Public Service, to dismiss four officers—namely, the superintendent of furniture, an officer with a salary of £540 a-year, and three of his assistants, with salaries of about £200 a-year.
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVREThe prices were obtained by public tender about four years ago, and were very low; and on the recommendation of these officers the contracts were renewed during the last four years on the representation that the contractors supplied an admirable article.
§ MR. RYLANDSIs it a fact that there are one or two other clerks in the Office who have been suspended, or whose cases are under consideration?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVRETwo or three other officers are implicated, but not to so serious an extent. I have not found it necessary to treat them with the same stringency as the others, but I have not yet finally decided what course is to be adopted in their case.
§ MR. RYLANDSWe may hope that some steps will be taken to prevent a repetition of such conduct.
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVREThe discovery took place in consequence of changes made last year.
§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORMay I ask whether the discovery with regard to this linoleum will stimulate an inquiry as to other articles of furniture—I mean in the direction of those matters which the right hon. Gentleman may remember I raised last year?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVREOf course, Sir, inquiry will be made with regard to other articles.
§ SIR H. DRUMMOND WOLFFHave these officials been concerned in drawing up the Estimates for the ensuing year?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVRENo, Sir.
§ MR. HEALYI should like to ask whether in future the right hon. Gentleman will give directions that Estimates shall be prepared in every case and public advertisement given?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVREMost certainly, Sir.