HC Deb 22 December 1893 vol 20 cc208-9
MR. M. AUSTIN (Limerick, W.)

I beg to ask the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether the following letter (in reply to a communication from the London Trades Council), which appeared in The Star newspaper of 15th December, is authentic:— Admiralty, Whitehall.—Sir, I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to inform you that they have had under their careful consideration your letter of 26th May last, respecting the alleged excessive employment of apprentices by Messrs. Waterman Brothers, of Plymouth, in the execution of Admiralty orders for boats. My Lords find upon investigation that the facts stated in your letter are substantially correct, and being unable to accept the explanations offered in justification, have intimated their views to Messrs. Waterman Brothers as a warning to comply with the spirit of the House of Commons Resolution; and was it issued under the Resolution of this House of 13th February, 1891, or under any other; and, if so, what Regulation?

MR. E. ROBERTSON

Yes, Sir; the letter is authentic.

MR. M. AUSTIN

Then I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury a question of which I have given him private notice—namely, whether he will act in a similar manner in regard to Government work in Ireland as the Admiralty have done with regard to their contracts?

SIR J. T. HIBBERT

I should like to consider first what action the Admiralty have taken.

MR. SEXTON

The question on the Paper shows what the Admiralty have done.

SIR J. T. HIBBERT

No. I think not. I want to ascertain exactly what the Admiralty have done.

MR. SEXTON

I suppose that we may take it that what the Admiralty have done in regard to their printing contracts the Treasury will do in regard to their contracts?

SIR J. T. HIBBERT

I will consider what is to be done. I told the hon. Member yesterday that if he would lay before me any cases in which there was cause of complaint I would take them into consideration.