§ MR. R. ASCROFT (Oldham)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact that in September, 1896, complaints were made by the Colonel in command of the 6th V. B. Manchester Regiment to the Inspecting Officer that the tents supplied were defective and not water-tight; whether he is aware that, notwithstanding such complaints, similar defective tents were again supplied in 1897, and that such tents had been in use for 15 years; and whether he will cause inquiries to be made with a view to Volunteer regiments being in future supplied with proper tents?
MR. POWELL-WILLIAMSNo special complaints can be traced as having been made in regard to their tents by this battalion in 1896; but the Inspection Report of 1897 did describe their tents as defective, and that report is now under consideration. Large numbers of tents are condemned and replaced every year; but they must be used till they are worn out, and, as they are issued indiscriminately to all classes of troops, it will almost necessarily happen that any particular corps will occasionally have tents in their last stage of serviceability.
§ MR. ASCROFTWill steps be taken in the future to prevent defective tents being issued to the Volunteers?
§ [Mr. ASCROFT repeated it, but the hon. Gentleman was still unable to hear it, and consequently no Answer was given.]