HC Deb 17 June 1901 vol 95 c547
MR. WILLIAM ABRAHAM (Cork, N.E.)

I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether his attention has been called to the poisoning of about fifteen soldiers of the York and Lancaster Regiment at Fermoy Barracks through eating tinned beef served out for breakfast rations; can he state the name of the contractor who supplied this tinned beef and the name of manufacturer and place of manufacture; and will he explain why tinned meat is still being issued to the troops on home stations instead of home-grown meat.

LORD STANLEY

Perhaps the hon. Member would kindly refer to the full answer given by me on Friday last to the hon. Member for the Partick Division of Lanarkshire.*

MR. WILLIAM ABRAHAM

But that is not an answer to my question.

CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.)

Will orders be issued prohibiting the further issue of tinned meats to the troops?

LORD STANLEY

It was not a question of issuing them. They were drawn by the men from the canteen and paid for. I am not prepared to interfere with the discretion of the commanding officer in this matter.

MR. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick)

Have the officers anything to do with the running of the canteen in this particular place?

LORD STANLEY

No, Sir.