§ CAPTAIN NORTON (Newington, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the last issue of contract boots to the members of the Metropolitan Police Force is to be in April next and the first weekly issue of boot money in October, thus calling upon each man to advance the value of a pair of boots to the authorities.
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYThe dates are correctly stated in the Question, but the inference which the hon. Member draws from them is wrong. The April issue of boots with those already in the men's possession will in all probability last beyond the time when the men will have received by weekly allowance the cost of a new pair: and they will not be called upon to procure a new pair until one of those pair has been condemned. The dates I should add are those which were mentioned to the men when the choice between the two systems was given them.
§ CAPTAIN NORTONAm I to gather from the answer that the men will practically be defrauded of a pair of boots? [Laughter.]
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYQuite the contrary, Sir.
§ CAPTAIN NORTONIf the boots are made to last longer than they have hitherto lasted, are not the men thereby defrauded out of a certain amount of shoe leather? [Laughter.]
§ [No answer was given.]