§ Captain BARNETTasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that householders in London who have soldiers billeted upon them are being asked, pending the establishment of central messing rooms, to undertake the work of messing at the rate of 9d. a day for the first man and 6d. a day for each additional man, to include sleeping accommodation; whether under Army Order 69 of 1918 the rate for providing soldiers with bed and attendance without meals or cooking facilities is 6d. a day; and, if so, whether householders are expected to provide fuel and cooking utensils and to cook and serve three meals a day for a total remuneration of 3d. a day, or 1s. 9d. a week, without regard to the number of men billeted upon them?
§ Mr. FORSTERYes, Sir. Pending the establishment of central messing, the recent increase in the rate for lodging only has produced some temporary disproportion in comparison with the rates for lodging with cooking facilities; but I have no reason to think that the latter rates are in themselves inadequate.