§ MR. HAYDEN (Roscommon, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the War Office has issued notice to contractors informing them that allowance will be made in payments for their contracts for the duty imposed on corn, Hour, and other grains, provided contractors produce evidence that the duty was actually paid; and whether this condition will be insisted upon in view of the fact that contractors who had goods in stock, in accordance with the usual custom of trade, prior to the imposition of the duty must replace them with goods upon which the duty must be paid.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN (for Mr. BRODRICK)The reply is in the affirmative. It is necessary to insist upon this condition, as there would be otherwise a waste of public money. The contractor is not entitled to be paid anything for duty which he has not himself paid.