§ Sir CLEMENT KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that several established workmen have been discharged to pension in the cooperage department of the Royal William Victualling Yard; and will he say when it is proposed to fill these vacancies in the establishment?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. It is not proposed to fill these vacancies on the established list, as the1896W decreased cooperage work in the victualling yards would not warrant it. Further, the percentage of established to hired coopers at the victualling yards is considerably in excess of the usual proportion of established to hired men.