§ 31. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked whether contracts for fur coats for the Army have been placed with Wagner and Company, Schiltze, Festenstein, Ariostien, and Josselsonn; and can he give the House the name of any British firms to whom orders have been given?
§ Mr. FORSTEROrders for the manufacture of fur coats have been placed with Messrs. C. Wagner and Co., Limited, Messrs. N. Schultz and Co., Messrs. J. Festenstein and Sons, Mr. J. Arenstein, and Messrs. Josselson Brothers. Mr. Josselson, the proprietor of Messrs. Josselson Brothers, has been in business in this 1004 country for the last twenty-five years, but is still a Russian subject. With this exception, however, inquiries by the Department show that the directorate or proprietors of the firms mentioned consist of naturalised British or Britishborn subjects of Russian or Polish origin. Similar orders have been placed with several firms whose names clearly indicate British origin, such as Messrs. Debenhams, Limited, Messrs. F. Cornish and Co., Messrs. G. Rice, Limited, and Messrs. Peters Bridges and Co., Limited, and O. F. Smith.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEWas not the contract placed with Messrs. Debenhams, Limited, sublet by that firm to another firm of foreign designation?
§ Sir A. MARKHAMWho is the firm of Schiltze which had this contract? Is he aware that these people were convicted at the Central Criminal Court recently?
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEWill the hon. Gentleman answer my question?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Gentleman must give notice of that. It is not a very easy question to answer offhand.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEI have given notice on the Paper.