HC Deb 14 April 1902 vol 106 cc133-4
CAPTARIN NORTON

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he can state how many officers of the infantry of the line are members of the Committee appointed to inquire into the Army Canteen business, and how many members of this Committee were at one time members of the Canteen and Mess Co-operative Society; whether there is any intention upon the part of the Government of taking over the above-mentioned society as the nucleus of a future general scheme of Army Canteen Co-operative Supply; and whether, in the event of it being decided to establish a society for the supply of the troops, he will consider the advisability of it being started as a new concern after a Committee of the leading commercial men in the country, and officers of the longest and widest experience in Army canteen management have carefully considered the matter in all its aspects.

LORD STANLEY

This Committee is composed as follows—

  • Earl Grey, President.
  • Major-General Eaton, Grenadier Guards.
  • Colonel Bridge, Army Service Corps.
  • Colonel Lambert, 2nd Dragoon Guards.
  • Major Stopford, Irish Guards.
  • Captain Boehmer, late East Surrey Regiment.
  • George Harwood, Esq., M.P.
  • Colonel Barrington Foote, R.A., Secretary.
Major Stopford served previously in the Derby Regiment for eighteen years. None of the above-mentioned are members of the Canteen and Mess Cooperative Society or have had any financial interest in it. Colonel Bridge served at one time on the Society's Committee of management which is unpaid. I am not prepared at present, pending the receipt of the Committee's Report, to discuss the other points raised in the Question.

CAPTAIN NORTON

Then am I to understand that there is only one infantry of the line officer represented in the entire Committee?

LORD STANLEY

If the hon. Gentleman looks at the list he will find he is entirely wrong. The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment.

CAPTAIN NORTON

Of the line?

LORD STANLEY

Then there is Captain Beecher, late of the East Surrey regiment, and Major Stopford of the Irish Guards who previously served for eighteen years in the Derbyshire regiment and may well be considered to represent the infantry of the line.

CAPTARIN NORTON

Still am I not right in my contention that there is only one officer belonging to the infantry of the line on the Committee?

* MR. SPEAKER

Order, order!