§ COLONEL C. E. HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the tube, supplied for the boilers of Her Majesty's ships Powerful and Terrible, now in course of building were being obtained in Germany; and, in such case, how the Fair Wages resolution of the late Administration was to be enforced, having regard to the absence in Germany of either Trade Union custom or the factory laws in force in this country; and why no Sheffield or other firm had had an opportunity of supplying them.
§ THE CIVIL LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. EDMUND ROBERTSON, Dundee)These tubes are not being made in Germany, but by a Glasgow firm in Glasgow. They are not ordered direct by the Admiralty, but by the contractors for the ships. Provided they are obtained from a competent maker on the Admiralty List, and subject to the fair wages clause of the contract, the placing of such sub-contracts is left to the discretion of the principal contractors.
§ There were 23 other questions on the Order Paper, and Mr. Speaker went through the list as usual, but only one Member—Mr. Radcliffe Cooke—rose to put the question which stood in his name, and in that instance the Minister to whom it was addressed was not present.
§ MR. SPEAKERthen called on Mr. Courtney, who had a notice on the Paper to introduce a Bill to amend the law relating to the Sale of Intoxicating Liquors, but the right hon. Gentleman was not present.
Mr. T. M. HEALY, Mr. RADCLIFFE COOKE, and one or two other Members rose ostensibly to put questions, when—
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid: Order, order! Hon. Members are too late. I have gone through the list, and either hon. Members were not present to put questions or Ministers to answer them. I have called on the Clerk to read the Orders of the Day.