§ Sir W. Smithersasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, owing to increase in wages costs in the wool trade, it is not now possible to maintain a good quality of 210a material at 3 coupons a yard value and the leading makers have demanded an advance in price which takes the cloth into the 210b category thus involving 4½ coupons per yard instead of 3, to the detriment of the consumer; and what action he proposes to take in this matter.
§ Sir S. CrippsNo, Sir. Cloth manufacturers are taking orders for utility cloth No. 210A in much larger quantities than last year, and I have no evidence that they are not maintaining the normal quality of this specification.