§ 96. Mr. J. JONESasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware of the great amount of discontent existing in the Navy on account of a recent Regulation under which chief petty officers and petty officers are compelled to buy kit portmanteaux of a standard pattern at extravagant prices in place of the portmanteaux hitherto in use; and whether he can state the reason for the new Regulation?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Commander Eyres-MonsellThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards the latter part, it is necessary to fix a limit to the sizes of suit cases or portmanteaux owing to the restricted stowage space available.
§ Mr. J. JONESIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that these men are compelled to pay about 25 per cent. more than they can purchase them for elsewhere?
§ Commander EYRES-MONSELLI am not aware of that. Officially it has only recently been allowed to have these suit cases. When permission was given officially it was necessary to fix a limit on the size of them.