Mr ROBERTS (Adelaide) (Honorary Minister) . - The staff referred to by the honorable member for Nepean has not yet been appointed, but it is necessary to make preparations for it in advance. In February next there will be between 200 and 300 persons employed in the factory, and it cannot be said that a manager, an assistant manager, an accountant, and two draughtsmen is too great a staff to control a factory of that size.

Mr Howe - There will also be eight clerks.

Mr ROBERTS - The factory will turn out some thousands of rifles annually, and there will be a good deal of clerical work in connexion with their manufacture and distribution. Replying to the honorable member for Parramatta, what he terms a full and complete statement of the position of affairs has not been made, because the Attorney-General may have to be consulted. It is possible that an investigation may have to be carried back to a time before this Government took office. I am not suggesting that any former Minister was to blame in any way, but, under the circumstances, it would not be fair to the Department, or to the contractors, to publish statements which might prejudice the case of any party.