§ Sir B. FALLEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will reconsider the decisions not to grant the sale of wines and spirits to the chief and petty officers' messes of shore establishments, observing that this privilege has long been granted to sergeants' messes of the Army and Royal Marines; and, if not, will he state what is the Admiralty objection to this request?
Mr. ALEXANDERAs the hon. Member is aware this decision has been reviewed and reaffirmed quite recently. The conditions of messes in naval depots are not really analogous in important respects to those of Army or Royal Marine sergeants' messes; and the Admiralty do not consider this change desirable.