§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, S.E.)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that Dr. William Anderson, the Director General of Ordnance Factories, is a shareholder, and his son, Mr. E. W. Anderson, a director, in the engineering firm of Easton, Anderson, and Goolden; and, whether this firm supplies machinery for the use of the Arsenal at Woolwich?
MR. POWELL-WILLIAMSThis matter has previously been raised in the House. The facts are that Dr. Anderson, as soon as possible after his appointment as Director General of Ordnance Factories, transferred the shares he held in the company in question, and ceased to have a pecuniary interest in its affairs. The company is what is known as a private limited company, and its shares do not come upon the market; he, therefore, transfered them to a member of his family. Whether that member is a director in the company I do not think it necessary to inquire. In some instances machinery has been procured from the firm, but the orders have invariably been given through the Contract Branch, over which Dr. Anderson has no control.
§ MAJOR RASCHinquired if the hon. Gentleman was aware that as lately as last week Dr. Anderson was a shareholder in the company.
MR. POWELL-WILLIAMSsaid, Dr. Anderson became a shareholder through the death of his daughter, but as soon as he possibly could he made a second transfer, and in that way ceased to have a pecuniary interest in the company.