§ MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he has received a copy of a memorial addressed to General Sir Robert Biddulph, R.A., in reference to the contract for supplies to the Army Service Corps canteen at Gibraltar; whether the Captain King mentioned therein is an officer on the head-quarter staff of the Army for supply inspection; and, if so, whether he has received the sanction of his superiors at the War Office in canvassing business for the Canteen and Mess Co-operative Society, Limited; and whether it was Captain King's duty to have made his report relative to the Army Service Corps canteen at Gibraltar to the Commander-in-Chief there, leaving it to his Excellency to take such steps as he might think necessary after investigating the report.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. J. POWELL WILLIAMS,) Birmingham, S.The only copy of the memorial received at the War Office is that forwarded by the hon. Member. The Captain King referred to in the memorial is an officer on the supply 1365 inspection staff at Woolwich. He is not authorised to canvass for any particular source of supply, nor does he do so. Captain King made his report in duplicate, one copy going to the general commanding on the spot, the other to the War Office, so that either authority can take any steps considered necessary. The reports show that the memorialist has sold margarine, calling it butter, and that his prices generally were high, whilst the articles supplied were inferior in quality.