asked the Minister for Defence whether he is aware that many large bills are outstanding by the Military to traders in Ennis, in respect of goods certified on delivery to be correct as to quality, price and quantity; whether deductions, varying from 2½ per cent. to 10 per cent., on payments made have his authority in respect of goods similarly certified, and if he will institute inquiries at once with a view to ensuring full and immediate settlement of these claims.
CEISTEANNA.—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - OUTSTANDING ARMY BILLS.
Bills certified correct as to quality, quantity and price have not been and are not being left unpaid in any district. Those received at Headquarters so certified are paid at once. The difficulty in dealing with old accounts is mainly one of certification, but so far as the Ennis district is concerned, most of the claims of this type have been paid off and there are now not many outstanding. If particular cases are brought to my notice, I shall see that attention is given to them at once.
In the case of goods not ordered under contract, it is usual to reduce the amounts claimed to a figure at which the same class of goods could have been bought in the district at the time they were supplied. The deductions vary in accordance with the amounts claimed, but the prices allowed are those at which goods of the same quality could have been purchased at the time in the district.