§ Sir B. FALLEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty why accountant officers in charge of general messing in ships afloat are allowed to purchase goods from the Navy, Army and Air Force Institute canteens, where a general flat rate of charges is maintained for the benefit of all naval ratings, while other accountant officers in charge of general messes in ships and establishments in home ports can and do spend large sums of money with private traders, thereby causing a serious trading loss to the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes?
§ Mr. AMMONThe arrangements in regard to the purchase of supplies for general messing apply equally to ships afloat and to ships and establishments in home ports, and the fact that the latter obtain a larger proportion of certain articles, chiefly fresh produce, from private traders is due to local conditions.