§ Mr. ARTHUR HENDERSONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he would 18 inform the House what was the average number of moulders employed in producing brass and metal castings in the foundries at Devonport Dockyard during each of the three years 1903 to 1905 and 1906 to 1908 respectively?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe average number of moulders employed in the foundries at Devonport Dockyard producing brass and metal castings, including iron castings, were as follows:—
During the three years 1903–05 72 During the three years 1906–08 39
§ Mr. ARTHUR HENDERSONHow is it that the number of moulders has fallen off to such an extent, seeing that the quantity of castings required from outside so largely increased?
§ Mr. McKENNAI can only assume that the number of moulders employed in the dockyard was the number required for the work to be done in the dockyard itself. The work done by outside contractors would not be included in this.