§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERI beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office, why the recommendation made in the Report of Lord Morley's Committee, to the effect that the Head of the Ordnance Factories should be a military man, serving under a military chief at the War Office, has never been carried out; and why, in direct opposition to the recommendation in the Report, a civilian has been appointed to the post of Deputy Superintendent of the Ordnance Factories?
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. J. POWELL-WILLIAMS,) Birmingham, S.The first recommendation of Lord Morley's Committee was that a Superintendent of the Ordnance Factories should be appointed. The late Secretary of State, Mr. Stanhope, in appointing Dr. Anderson, did not, for reasons which he gave to the House at the time, accept the view of the majority of the Committee that the Superintendent should be a military man, but chose one whom he thought to be the best available candidate—and experience has fully justified the selection made. The second recommendation of the Committee was that, subordinate to the Superintendent, a chief mechanical engineer should be appointed, under whom the three separate branches of the factory might be amalgamated. This recommendation has been followed in the appointment of Mr. Donaldson.