§ 75. Mr. C. DUNCANasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether his attention has been drawn to a complaint made by the Packing Case Makers' Union that Messrs. W. Toogood and Sons, Bristol, tendered for a contract basing their price on the prices submitted by the workmen for the work to be done, and that immediately upon getting the contract the firm introduced boy labour on the work; whether he is aware that the men in protest left the firm and obtained work elsewhere and that all the work on the contract was done by boys; whether he is aware that if the firm had taken this action at any other time than the present the union would have withdrawn all their members from work in the district; and whether, in view of the fact that the firm's action, if acquiesced in, would compel other firms in their own interest to adopt a similar policy, he will take steps to prevent a repetition of this incident?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe attention of the War Office has been drawn to this matter, and the trade union officials saw a representative of the War Office a few days ago. They did not wish to reopen this particular case, which is now some months old, and they expressed themselves as satisfied with assurances as to the future.