§ 37. Mr. GILBERTasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office why in the auction sale of Army stores held at the London Commercial Sale Rooms on 5th April the following goods were included, 250,000 tins of black boot polish and 50,000 pairs half-soles (new); and, as these goods are evidently new goods and undamaged, if he will state if they could be used for Army purposes, in view of the general shortage of all kinds of war material?
§ Mr. FORSTERAs I explained to the hon. Member on 22nd October last, in answer to a question on a similar case, the half-soles had been rejected by the responsible officer of the Department as unsuitable for Army requirements and were included in the auction sale as being the most convenient method of disposing of them at the market price of the day. The boot polish became surplus to requirements, and was similarly disposed of, when it was decided to substitute dubbin.