Mr. TYSON WILSONasked whether the First Lord of the Admiralty is aware that the amount of wages of the men employed in the Naval Ordnance Department at Chatham kept in hand by the authorities has recently been increased; whether this has been done with the 2345 sanction of the Admiralty; and whether he will give orders that the former practice shall be reverted to?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Dr. Macnamara)The amount of wages kept, in hand in the Naval Ordnance Department in the Chatham district has recently been increased from two to three days in consequence of the increase in numbers and the difficulty experienced in preparing and checking the necessary cash documents in the limited time available between the day up to which the men are paid and the actual issue of the wages. I am afraid that the amount of time necessary to make up and check each account will not permit us to go back to the practice of keeping only two days' wages in hand.