§ Sir H. NIELDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it is in contemplation to demobilise some 7,000 temporary naval officers at Chatham, Devonport, and Portsmouth at the end of the present month; if so, whether the time for this de- 981W mobilisation has been fixed by his Department of by the Treasury, or by both in conjunction, in order to avoid the liability to pay to these men the gratuities which will come in force on 1st July with the new rates of pay; whether most of these officers have been drawn from the Mercantile Marine and will be unable to find employment in their old calling until next year, if then, owing to the shortage of mercantile shipping; and whether he will take steps to see that no injustice shall be inflicted on these men?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIt is in contemplation to demobilise all demobilisable officers so soon as they become surplus to naval requirements, but as the reduction of Fleet services to a peace basis must necessarily be a gradual process, no time has been, or can be, fixed for the completion of demobilisation. The progress of demobilisation depends entirely on the reduction of the Fleet services, and neither the Admiralty nor the Treasury have been in any way whatever actuated in their demobilisation procedure by a desire to reduce the payments due to officers or men in respect of pay or gratuity. The Admiralty are fully aware of the position as regards the resettlement of temporary officers drawn from the Mercantile Marine, and are taking such steps s are in their power to meet the situation