§ MR. LABOUCHEREI beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office, whether it was stated in the conditions of tender for the meat contract, awarded to Messrs. M. Bergl. and Company, the respective amounts of dead meat and live meat to be delivered; and, if so, what were the respective amounts; whether any obligation in respect to either all or any of the meat provided, to procure it either from Australia or from New Zealand, was contained in the conditions of tender; what is the price to be paid to Messrs. Bergl and Company for meat all round; and, whether he can state what is the difference all round between meat procured from Argentina and from Australia and New Zealand.
LORD STANLEYThe contractor has to supply live cattle and sheep and dead meat at such times and in such quantities as may be demanded, there being no fixed proportion of live and dead meat. An undertaking to obtain supplies as far as possible from British colonies has been given by the contractor. This is a condition not contained in the original tender. There is no all-round price, there is one price for fresh meat and another for frozen meat; the prices are confidential. In reply to the last paragraph, an all-round difference in value cannot be stated. It would have no application to the contract in question. The market values of different classes of meat from time to time are shown in trade journals.
§ MR. LABOUCHEREWere the proportions of dead meat and live meat set forth in the original tender?
LORD STANLEYI do not think so, I must ask for notice. I do not gee how it is possible to give such a definition. 525 The undertaking to obtain supplies of meat as far as possible from the British colonies was not in the original tender.
§ CAPTAIN DONELANHas the alteration been made since the protest from the Colonies?