§ CAPTAIN NORTONI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, seeing that a petition from the Store housemen of the Naval Store Office at Chatham has been under consideration for the past three years, will he state when a reply to the petition may be expected.
§ THE CIVIL LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. PRETYMAN,) Suffolk, WoodbridgeThe petition referred to raised questions of status and pay affecting the storehouse staff at all the naval establishments, and it was therefore impossible to deal with the case of Chatham, except as part of a large question of re-organisation. The matter is receiving careful consideration, but the Admiralty are not yet in a position to announce any changes in the existing clarification and pay of the storehouse staff.
§ CAPTAIN NORTONIs the consideration likely to take three years more?
§ [No answer was returned.]