§ COLONEL LLOYD ANSTRUTHER (Suffolk, Woodbridge)asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is the case that the general service wagons, just issued to the Regimental Transport at Aldershot, have not had their guard-irons and foot-boards altered according to pattern laid down in War Office Order, No. 4741, of 1885; and, if so, 706 who is responsible for such omission; whether the Order quoted was issued on account of some men of the Army Service Corps having been killed and injured, owing to accidents caused by the defective construction of the guard-irons and foot-boards, prior to 1885; and, whether the reserve of general service wagons in store are all of defective pattern?
§ THE SURVEYOR GENERAL OF ORDNANCE (Mr. NORTHCOTE) (Exeter)(who replied) said: The wagons issued lately at Aldershot are only intended for use temporarily till others of the altered pattern are received from Woolwich. No wagons are issued from the reserve store at Woolwich until they have been altered in accordance with the Order of 1885. Orders were given to have all wagons altered according to the pattern specified in the Question; and those at Aldershot ought to have been so altered locally, as they were in store there when the orders were given. I will cause inquiry to be made as to the cause of the omission. The Order of 1885 was issued in consequence of a fatal accident to two men of the Commissariat and Transport Corps.