MR. PHILIPPS (Pembrokeshire)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether large quantities of hay for South Africa are being purchased in North and South America; if so, what prices are being paid; and what attempts have been 909 made to buy similar hay in Great Britain, and what prices were offered.
* THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. J. POWELL-WILLIAMS,) Birmingham, S.Large quantities of hay for South Africa are being purchased in North and South America. The prices at which contracts are placed are not made public. Tenders have been invited for British hay, but the prices at which home-grown hay has been offered involve a much heavier total cost on delivery in South Africa than is incurred for the American hay, while the hay itself is not so suitable for the purposes of the present campaign.
§ MR. T. M. HEALY (Louth, N.)Is it not a fact that large quantities of foreign-bought hay have turned out to be rotten?
§ MR. D. A. THOMAS (Merthyr Tydvil)Is not the freight on hay from this country less than from America?
* MR. J. POWELL-WILLIAMSThe total cost of hay is less when sent from America than when sent from this country. I have no knowledge of large consignments of hay from America having been found rotten.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYI did not refer merely to American hay. Is it not the case that a large quantity of foreign-bought hay has had to be condemned by the authorities?