MR. FIELDI beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether any penalty is imposed or restrictions placed upon contractors who supply foreign instead of native meat to the troops stationed in Ireland; and whether any precautions are taken to prevent a supply of embalmed beef?
MR. POWELL WILLIAMSContractors are bound to supply meat of the description and quality contracted for. If they fail or present the wrong description of meat, such meat would be rejected, and the contractor would be liable to a tine not exceeding £10 for each occasion. If a contractor were frequently to commit such an offence he would, of course, not be continued on the list of contractors.
§ CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether contractors convicted of fraudulently substituting foreign for home-grown meat to the troops in Ireland are permitted to retain their contracts?
MR. J. POWELL WILLIAMSThe punishment of a contractor who breaks the conditions of his contract would depend on the gravity of his offence. When a contractor is shown to have committed any serious offence in carrying out his contract he is liable to be precluded from tendering for supplies in future.
§ CAPTAIN DONELANWill the honourable Gentleman say how it is possible to detect frauds, seeing that no steps are taken to test foreign or home-grown meat?
MR. J. POWELL WILLIAMSI do not understand the honourable Member. He has probably studied the question more closely than I have. It is not a question between foreign and colonial and home-fed meat as I take it, but it is a question of refrigerated or fresh meat. My early education on this matter was neglected, but I am told it is impossible when the meat is fresh to tell whether it was grown at home or imported.
§ [No Reply.]
§ MR. FLYNNIs it not the fact that a rule has been laid down by the War Office authorities limiting the percentage of imported meat to be suppliedߞߞ
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order. That does not arise out of the Question.