§ MR. J. P. FARRELLI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether a Commission has been recently dispatched to Argentina for the purpose of purchasing horses for the British Army; whether these horses could be as 365 cheaply purchased in Ireland; and whether, having regard to the promise of the War Office authorities to give preference to home-bred horses, this order will not be repeated, and Irish horses purchased instead?
§ MR. BRODRICKA small number of horses required for South Africa will be purchased in Argentina. Their cost when landed at their destination will be less than one-half of that involved by purchasing them in Ireland, and they will be older horses. Preference is always given to home or colonial horses when they can be obtained without serious loss.
§ SIR HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)Has my right hon. Friend considered the question of purchasing horses in Australia?
§ MR. BRODRICKThat question has been considered, but, the distance being equally great, the cost would have been double what it would have been for horses from South America.
§ MR. J. P. FARRELLMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman to state the exact number of horses to be purchased?
§ MR. BRODRICKI think it is 450.