§ Sir C. HENRYasked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether, on account of Messrs. Easton, Gibbs 'and Company, for the reason that Sir Alexander Gibbs having been appointed chief civil engineer to the Board of Admiralty, having had their existing contracts with the Admiralty cancelled, it will entail expenditure in excess of the original contract prices or conditions being incurred?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIt is anticipated that no extra cost will be entailed in completing the contracts. I may remark that the Admiralty will obtain the advantage of taking over at a valuation plant which is urgently required on other Admiralty works, to be departmentally carried out, when the work in question is completed. It must be recognised that in the present. position as to raw materials and labour, the advantages of placing contracts for work are very much reduced, as the supply of these essentials is a matter which has to be arranged and secured by the Department which places the contract.