§ 76. Mr. ANDERSONasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether a London firm connected with the boot trade has been appointed by the War Office to act as advisers, supervisors, and agents for the War Office in the purchase, handling, and distribution of boots for the Army; if so, what is the name of the firm; what steps, if any, were taken by the War Office to ascertain that the firm was sufficiently experienced to handle the work efficiently and what terms were arranged with the firm by way of remuneration?
§ 80. Mr. WILLIAM YOUNGasked whether Mr. Edward Penton, of the firm of Edward Penton and Son, Mortimer Street, W., is acting in the capacity of buying agent or official buyer for the War Office in connection with the purchase of Army boots and leather material; if so, what remuneration does he receive for his services; what is the total amount paid to him to date in commission or otherwise; and how much is due to him on completed or partially completed contracts?
Mr. BAKERMessrs. E. Penton and Son, Mortimer Street, W., have been appointed for the purposes stated in the first question. Their duties also include the organisation of the boot trade for Army boots, and the administration of the now Ordnance Depot for the receipt, storage, and issue of Army boots. Mr. Penton has already performed work for the Government, and was known to possess organising capacity of the kind required. Mr. Penton himself and one other managing director receive salaries of £600 a year each, and Messrs. E. Penton and Son £1,000 for each million pairs of boots received. No payment has yet been made, but the number, of pairs of boots received since the formation of the depot is about 3,700,000, representing a payment due to the firm of £3,700.
§ Mr. ANDERSONIs it not the case that Messrs. Penton and Son, though an old-established firm, are really a merchanting house and not a manufacturing firm, and that Mr. Edward Penton, jun., who is the gentleman in charge, has had no experience in the technical side of the manufacture of the boots?
Mr. BAKERI believe the firm are what is technically known as boot factors, and were chosen because they were not manufacturers. Mr. Penton has very large experience.
§ 77. Mr. ANDERSONasked whether any complaints have been received from soldiers at the front regarding the unsatisfactory character of the boots supplied to them; whether any member of any firm acting for the War Office went recently to France to investigate these complaints; whether any report on this matter has been received; and whether such reports will be asked for and made public?
Mr. BAKEROwing to the weather conditions in the trenches at the end of last December, boots of abnormally large sizes were required in considerable quantities for the Expeditionary Force. There was not a sufficient supply of Army regulation boots in these abnormal sizes to meet the sudden demand, and some trade pattern boots had to be obtained with the least possible delay and sent to complete the total required. The Inspector-General of Communications Overseas brought to the notice of the War Office the fact that in some cases these boots had proved unsatisfactory. An officer of the headquarter staff of the War Office, accompanied by a boot expert employed by the Department, has recently been sent to France to make special inquiries regarding the quality of boots and the conditions of their use at the front, but their report has not yet been received.