§ Mr. LOYDasked the Minister of Munitions whether he is aware that printers in the country have been receiving applications offering from 3d. to 4½d. per lb. for printers' type and metals, and warning them that, if a sufficient quantity be not forthcoming, commandeering may be resorted to; whether any persons or body of persons are authorised by the Ministry of Munitions to obtain from printers as much as possible of their printing type and metals; and, if so, what is the price per lb. offered by the Department?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYThe printing and publishing trades were approached by the Minister with a view to releasing all dormant and surplus type in their possession, and were asked to appoint a committee to carry out this request. A committee, fully representative of the printing, publishing, and newspaper trades, was accordingly formed, and in 1891W a circular letter issued by them have intimated that unless a satisfactory response was received they would have no alternative but to recommend to the Minister that a compulsory levy be made. The prices which are being paid for the metal were agreed to between the committee and the Ministry, and range from £29 to £43 per ton. These prices are considerably in excess of pre-war scrap values.