§ MR. HANBURY (Preston)asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he has now received information as to the fact of the hair from condemned hospital beds being used to stuff pannels for saddles at Woolwich; whether the practice is to be continued; and, whether the officials consulted are the same officials who overruled other complaints, and were themselves subsequently overruled by the experts who were called in to advise?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, WAR DEPARTMENT (Mr. BRODRICK) (Surrey, Guildford)(who replied) said: Yes, Sir; I have, in company with the Director of Artillery, myself inspected the hair complained of, and have made the most exhaustive inquiry which I could carry out on the spot. I brought back to London specimens of the hair as to which such strong expressions have been used; and those specimens have been examined by Mr. Floyd, manager of the British Hair Company, who has certified that it is quite good enough to be used again for stuffing harness and saddlery, an opinion in which I, looking at it as a non-expert, fully concur. The hair was previously used as stuffing for mule litter-mattresses. These were attended for the conveyance of wounded soldiers, and not for hospitals at all. However, the pattern is obsolete, and the great majority of the mattresses were never used. As this hair is pronounced serviceable, and neither filthy nor rotten, it will continue to be employed for saddlery in preference to its being wasted or sold at a loss. The hon. 187 Member will see that the independent expert has arrived at the same conclusion as the authorities at Woolwich, and the Secretary of State holds himself entirely responsible for the course adopted.