§ COLONEL RUSSELL (Cheltenham)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office, what is the contract price of oats now paid by the Government for the supply of the mounted branches of the Service at Aldershot and in the Home District respectively; and, are these oats home-grown or imported?
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. J. POWELL-WILLIAMS,) Birmingham, S.As has been previously stated in the House in reference to the supply of forage, it is not usual to disclose contract prices. As regards Aldershot, oats are bought in the London market. They have been mostly Russian oats of good quality, averaging 42 7/100; lbs. per bushel. English oats have averaged 40 lbs. per bushel. For the Home District oats are not obtained separately from other forage, all being included in one contract. The place of origin of the oats is not known in this case. As I have already informed the House, the whole question of the supply of forage to the Army is under consideration.
§ MR. J. P. FARRELL (Cavan, W.)asked if Irish contractors were given an opportunity of tendering for large contracts for great military centres in England.
MR. POWELL-WILLIAMSsaid there was nothing to prevent a contractor in any part tendering for the supply of forage. Of course the question of carriage arose, and it was a serious consideration.
§ DR. TANNERinquired if there were any means of differentiating between foreign and home-grown oats, as oats could not well be stamped grown in Germany or grown in Russia.
§ MR. J. P. FARRELLasked if advertisements for tenders were inserted in Irish newspapers.
§ MR. SPEAKERThat question does not arise out of that on the Paper.
MR. POWELL-WILLIAMSbelieved there was a difference between home and foreign grown oats, which could be detected by those acquainted with the subject.