§ MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if Australian tenders for the supply of stores required for the Australian squadron will be accepted; and if sufficient time will be given to those desiring to tender in Australia so that they may have a proper chance of competing with tenders from England.
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONIn the case of provisions, coals, and other commodities produced in or largely imported into Australia, a large proportion of the stores required for the Australian squadron are obtained under contracts made on the station with local firms. Other descriptions of stores not produced in or imported to any considerable extent into Australia are sent out from England; there would be no object in asking Australian firms to tender for these. From time to time as new trades develop in Australia, the list of stores purchased locally is revised.