§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, S. E.)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that in the mobilisation at Chobham the water troughs were so badly constructed as to allow a leakage of many thousand gallons, and that the joints were plastered with white lead; arid, if so, whether the contractors to the War Office, Messrs. Martin and Wells, of Aldershot, have been called to account in the matter?
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. J. POWELL-WILLIAMS,) Birmingham, S.It is not the ease that there was a large waste of water from the water troughs referred to, nor were the joints plastered with white lead. The quantity of water consumed was unusually small. The General Officer Commanding was quite satisfied with them; and, considering the short notice at which they were supplied, it has not been thought necessary to call the contractors to account for any slight shortcomings.