§ MR. YOXALLI beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he can state the rate per horse paid to Messrs. Houlder Brothers for freight of horses from Australian to South African ports in 1900 and 1901, at a time when other shipowners and contractors were carrying horses from Australian to South African ports for £8 per horse.
§ MR. BRODRICKThe rates paid for Houlder's ships from Australia were £16 and £18 in 1900, and £18 in 1901. These rates usually included two ports in Queensland and New South Wales. The information at my disposal does not bear out the statement that other contractors were shipping horses from Australia to South African ports at £8 a head, and I shall be very glad if the hon. Member will furnish me with the information on which this statement was based.
§ MR. CHARLES ALLEN (Gloucestershire, Stroud)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the War Office paid Messrs. Houlder Brothers £14 5s. 3d. freight per horse on the average from the River Plate to South Africa.
§ MR. BRODRICKMay I refer the hon. and learned Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Northampton in reply to a similar question put by him on the 11th February.†