§ CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he can now state the result of the inquiry into the question of the meat supply to the troops in Ireland?
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. POWELL-WILLIAMS, Birmingham, S.)It would be impossible within the limits of a reply to a Question to give the full results of the careful inquiry which has been made upon the subject of the meat supplied to the troops stationed in Ireland; but it may be stated generally that the cost involved in making the changes which from time to time have been suggested and pressed upon the War Office is found to be much too great to admit of action being taken in the direction indicated. It would cost upwards I £40,000 a year to give a monopoly to Irish meat, and the expense of restoring the abattoir at Dublin and of substituting Irish meat for the meat which the troops at that station now receive would add at least 15 per cent. to the local meat bill. The Secretary of State regrets, therefore, that he is unable to make any change in the present system, but certain suggestions as to alterations in the form of tender which may enable local producers to compete more successfully than they now do will be accepted.