§ DR. HUTCHINSON (Sussex, Rye)To ask the Secretary of State for War whether there is a contract between the War Office and Messrs. Cox and Company in regard to the receipt and disbursement by the latter of officers' regimental pay; if so, is it in writing, what is its date, and when does it expire; will he lay a copy of it upon the Table of the House; and at its expiration will he make arrangements that the firm in question shall enjoy no preference over other London bankers.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Arnold-Forster.) The proposal of Messrs. Cox and Company to act as agents for the regiments and departments which they represent was accepted by letter on April 20th, 1891, in the following terms:—"I am directed by Mr. Secretary Stanhope to inform you that he approves of your appointment as agents for the regiments and departments for which you now act for the period of twenty years from the 1st January, 1892, on condition that the
| Date | Supply | Value | |
| £ | |||
| 5—1—00 | 290,000 | lbs. Bacon | 13,140 |
| 21—2—00 | 250,000 | lbs. Bacon | 11,459 |
| 24—3—00 | 87,600 | lbs. Bacon | 3,970 |
| 30—7—00 | 275,000 | lbs. Bacon | 12,526 |
| 22—1—01 | 188,000 | lbs. Bacon | 8,713 |
| 5—3—01 | 80,000 | lbs. Bacon | 3,708 |
| 28—8—01 | 300,000 | lbs. Bacon | 14,479 |
| 18—9—01 | 123,000 | lbs. Bacon | 5,958 |
| 23—10—01 | 200,000 | lbs. Bacon | 9,688 |
| 26—11—01 | 240,000 | lbs. Bacon | 11,708 |
| 4—2—02 | 100,000 | lbs. Bacon | 4,844 |
| 28—5—02 | 44,400 | lbs. Bacon | 2,128 |
§ work is performed by you without charge to the public, and that security "for £50,000 is given by you as offered in the letter above referred to. It will be left to the choice of every officer as at present to be paid by you or by an Army paymaster." The arrangement will, consequently, expire on December 31st, 1911, and the question of its continuance or otherwise will doubtless be fully considered by those then responsible. It will be observed that officers are under no compulsion to draw their pay through Messrs. Cox or any other Army agent.