§ 75. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in a 333 considerable number of cases, a long period is allowed to elapse before a naval man's wife receives her allotment and allowances after it is declared, and that it is sometimes months before payment is made, thus causing considerable inconvenience to the wife; and can he see his way so to amend matters that this long period of waiting may be eliminated?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am afraid there are cases in which, as inquiries are necessary, some delay ensues. But I am advised that it would not be correct to say that there is a considerable number of cases in which there is a long period of delay. In the great majority of cases, I am glad to say, there is no delay in making payment of an allotment declared by a sailor in favour of his wife, and the period that elapses is usually only about a week.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEDoes the right hon. Gentleman consider three or four months not a long delay?
§ Dr. MACNAMARACertainly.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs he not aware that that period has occurred on many occasions?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThere were reasons for that. Inquiries were necessary, because we had not the precise facts. I hope it is very rare.