§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, S.E.)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office—(1) whether French wheat straw is being used at Woolwich; and (2) if, as English hay can be delivered at 72s. 0¾d. and straw at 41s. 4d. per ton, he would buy home rather than foreign produce?
§ *THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. W. WOODALL, Hanley)There is on information in the War Office as to the source from which the straw is supplied; all that is looked to is the quality of the supply sent in. As to the second paragraph of the hon. and gallant Member's question, I would refer him to the answer given on February 3, 1893, by the right hon. Member for Midlothian to the hon. and gallant member for Central Sheffield.
§ COLONEL LOCKWOOD (Essex, Epping)said, that surely the War Office could ascertain the source of their supplies.
§ MR. R. W. HANBURY (Preston)asked, whether the War Office went upon any definite principle upon these matters. Did they give cœteris paribus any preference to English labour or produce, or did they act upon the rough and ready principle of buying everything in the cheapest market?
§ MR. WOODALLsaid, that the War Office thought themselves entitled to obtain for the public service the best possible articles in precisely the same manner as the hon. Member would obtain such articles for his own purposes.
§ COLONEL LOCKWOODasked, whether, in the matter of labour, the War Office did not pay a certain rate of wages without inquiring whether they could obtain that labour at a cheaper rate.
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! That does not arise out of the question on the paper.