1. Lieut.-Colonel SANDEMAN ALLENasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that the rags issued to Lancashire Territorial Artillery Brigades as wipers for cleaning guns and stores are of Japanese origin; and whether he will ensure that only goods of British origin are issued for this purpose?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Douglas Hacking)The Department endeavours to secure that rags of the kind referred to are not supplied to the troops by providing in the terms of the contract that such rags shall be washed and sterilised in the United Kingdom. While having every sympathy with the suggestion contained in the last part of the question, I do not think it would be practicable to ensure definitely that all rags had originated from material of British manufacture.