§ 2. Mr. GINNELLasked the Under-Secretary of State for War why no Army contract was placed with Messrs. Mahony, of Blarney, until they had required their employés, under pain of dismissal, to withdraw from the Irish Volunteers; whether any such condition with respect to the Ulster Volunteers has been imposed upon Ulster firms before placing Army contracts with them; if not, seeing that the latter body was organised expressly to resist an Act of Parliament, will he account for the difference of treatment; what wages are being paid by Messrs. Mahony; and whether they are in accordance with the Fair-Wages Resolution?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Forster)The contract placed with Messrs. Mahony, of Blarney, was allotted in the ordinary way after competitive tendering. I have no knowledge of their employés having been required to withdraw from the Irish Volunteers, No firm has been required, as a condition of obtaining Army contracts, to secure the withdrawal of its employés from either the Irish Volunteers or the Ulster Volunteers, or any other volunteers. No complaint has reached me as to the wages paid by Messrs. Mahony. Their contract contains the Fair-Wages Clause, and I have no reason to doubt that they are complying with its requirements.