§ Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the arrangements made with the canteen contractors by the Board of Control are as favourable either to the soldier or the taxpayer as those formerly made by the regimental committees; whether he is aware that at some regimental depots a bonus of 4s. 6d. per man per month was secured from the contractor, whereas the bonus is now greatly reduced under the arrangements made by the Board of Control; and will he say who reaps the benefit of this new arrangement?
§ Mr. TENNANTThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I am informed that the instances in which a rate of bonus as high as 4s. 6d. were paid were very few and that, where it was given, it was for the sake of the connection established and sometimes resulted in loss to the contractor. If a firm which previously gave a bonus is no longer giving a bonus it would to that extent no doubt be in a better position, but whether it would on that account be getting increased profits involves consideration of all the points involved.