§ Mr. COURTHOPEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will take steps to alter the regulations now in force at naval depots whereby an officer, when appointed to a depot for work unconnected with that depot, is compelled to pay a subscription of over £1 per month and his savings to the extent of 10d. per day to the officers' mess of the depot, whether he uses the mess or not?
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. McKenna)The maintenance of a depot ship's ward room mess, which is for the benefit of the officers as a whole, would not be practicable unless all the officers borne on the books of the depot are required to subscribe; and it is therefore not proposed to make any change in the existing system.
§ Mr. COURTHOPEWill the right hon. Gentleman consider if some relaxation cannot be made in the case of engineer officers?
§ Mr. McKENNAI will inquire into that point. But there is difficulty, I understand, in relaxing the rule.