§ MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to 1271 the War Office whether the accommodation secured by the military authorities in South Africa for cold storage by M. Bergl and Co. was secured by commandeering buildings owned by the Cold Storage Company; and, if so, whether this was with the assent of that company, and the price paid agreed to by that company; and, whether cold storage accommodation secured by the military authorities for M. Bergl and Co. will be used exclusively for the storage of meat to meet the requirements of that contract with the War Office, or also in connection with the general business of cold storage proprietors which M. Bergl and Co. have stated, in their communication to the Secretary of State for War, dated 6th January, 1902, it is their intention and that of those connected with the contract syndicate to establish.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Lord STANLEY, Lancashire, Westhoughton)I have no information on this matter beyond the fact that cold storage accommodation has been secured for which the new contractor will pay.
§ MR. YOXALL (Nottingham, W.)I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he can state on what date the contract for meat supply made with the South African Cold Storage Company was signed, and who were the guarantors.
§ LORD STANLEYThere were contracts for three different periods made in South Africa with the South African Cold Storage Company. The current contract for the Orange River Colony, Transvaal, and Cape Colony north of the Orange River, is dated 9th January, 1901, and the sureties named in the tender are Messrs. John Woodhead & Sons, and Stephen Brothers of Cape Town. That for Cape Colony, south of the Orange River, is about the same date (the exact date is not known at the War Office), and the surety was Messrs. Woodhead & Sons.