§ Lord C. BERESFORDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that ships' stewards' assistants and writers other than chief writers, who are granted honorary good conduct badges and have to wear them, have to pay for the badges but receive no badge pay as is the case with men of other ratings who wear badges; whether he is aware that these honorary good conduct badges are worn in the case of writers for nine years, and in the case of ships' stewards' assistants for about six years; whether he is aware that naval schoolmasters, engine-room artificers, and electricians, though granted honorary good conduct badges, do not have to wear them, therefore are saved the 1078W expense of buying them; and whether he can see his way to alter this state of affairs?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe answers to the first, second, and third parts of the question are in the affirmative. As regards the fourth part, no reason is seen for altering the character of the badge in the case of ships' stewards' assistants and writers, and it is presumed that they would still prefer to wear the badges than be deprived of them altogether.