§ CAPTAIN DONELANI beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that certain contracts, containing the unrevised conditions as to the supply of foreign meat to the troops in Ireland, have been recently renewed; and, whether any steps will be taken to reduce the proportion of foreign meat at present permitted under the terms of these contracts?
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. J. POWELL-WILLIAMS,) Birmingham, S.The contracts for supplying the troops in Ireland with meat expired in December. They were therefore necessarily renewed; and until, as the result of the pending inquiry, it is seen whether or not any material change is practicable in the present system, that system remains in operation. These contracts will expire in June next.
§ CAPTAIN DONELANasked was it not the fact that contracts now in force permitted the supply of 40 per cent. of foreign meat to the troops in Ireland, and could not some immediate steps be taken to reduce that proportion?
MR. POWELL-WILLIAMSsaid he had stated several times what the proportion allowed was, and it was impossible to make any change in the system until the result of the inquiry was known.