HC Deb 27 January 1902 vol 101 c951
MAJOR SEELY (Isle of Wight)

May I ask the Financial Secretary for War whether there is any truth in the report that the contract for the supply of meat to the troops in South Africa has been given to a firm which will give a preference to Argentine meat over that supplied by our various colonies?

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Lord STANLEY,) Lancashire, Westhoughton

There is no truth in the report that there has been a preference given to supplies of meat from Argentine over those of our colonies for the troops in South Africa. The contract for meat supply by the Cold Storage Company will expire on 31st March, and as their tender for the new contract was at a higher figure than that of another firm, the contract now goes to new hands. But the firm to whom the new contract has been given has large interests of its own in Australia, and the firm's representative has given an undertaking in writing that, so far as possible, all meat supplies, both live and dead, shall be secured from our various colonies.